“I have taken as good care of her as I could, sir—which being an old woman—too old to follow after children—wan’t much.”
“I am under great obligations to you, Miss Joe, and must find some way in which to repay you for the years of trouble and expense you have been put to upon account of my little ward.”
“Not at all, sir; you owe me nothing,” said the proud old lady. “I have always been a-t’iling, striving, saving soul; but I never saved anything, as I thought anyone near me, ’specially a little child, was a sufferin’ for. No, General Garnet, ef I am to be paid at this hour of the day I had rather the Lord pay me. I don’t want you to take it out’n his hands.”
General Garnet, turning to little Nettie, again took her hand, looked at the beautifully-molded but sun-browned thing, and said, softly and smilingly:
“You have a very pretty-shaped hand, my dear little girl. You ought to take care of it. You ought to wear gloves.”
“Haint got any, godfather.”
“But you should get them or have them got for you. Why don’t you?”
“Couldn’t dig for maninosies or break brush with gloves on, godfather.”
“Why, you don’t do these shocking things?”
“Yes, indeedy! and I’m going coon hunting with Hugh next moonshiny night that comes.”