"This is strange," muttered the General, walking up and down, stopping to look in his coffee-cup, as if still athirst; but waving her away when Agnes filled it again, and would have pressed it upon him.
"Remove these things, Miss Agnes, if you please—and order some one to have the carriage ready. I must go to the city at once."
Agnes took up the salver, and moved away, hesitating, by the door, as if she wished to speak.
"Well," said the General, a little impatiently, "is there anything I can do?"
"The chambermaid, sir, I dare say Mrs. Harrington has no choice; and I should be so obliged if you permitted my old nurse to have the place. She is very capable, and I am lonely without her."
"A colored woman, is it?" asked the General, hastily.
"Yes, from the South. She is all I have left."
"Of course, let her come, if she knows her duty. I will mention it to Mrs. Harrington."
"Thank you," said the girl, gliding softly away. "It will make me so happy to have some one in the house that loves me."
The General answered this attack on his sympathies, with an impatient wave of the hand. He seemed greatly disturbed—and, as the door closed, threw himself into a chair, with something like a groan.