She plumed herself, like a bird, in the ecstasy of my random speech, and both her hands and her heart opened at once.
"Now, I'll tell you all about it! There's no secret, and if there is, I didn't promise not to tell; that is, down in my heart. Cora came to me just now, and says she, 'Lottie, you know all the men about the premises, I suppose?'
"'Well, pretty much,' says I.
"'I thought so,' she said. 'Now, here is a little note that my mistress wants to have sent right off. If you can coax one of the men to take a horse from the stable, and just gallop over to Mr. Bosworth's with it, and bring an answer back, she'll give you that dress you took such a fancy to.'
"'Well,' says I, 'hand over the note; I'll get it done.' She had been holding the note seal up all the time, and says she, 'Lottie'—not Miss Lottie, mind—but, 'Lottie, can you read writing?'
"'Can you?' says I.
"'No,' says she; 'colored people seldom do.'
"'Well, then I don't.'
"'Well, this note is for a lady that is staying at Mr. Bosworth's; she's an old friend of Mrs. Dennison's, and we want to hear from her.'
"'All right,' says I. 'If you hadn't told this, it would be Greek and Latin to me.'