"I'se speakin' 'bout one time in perticula'," Dicey answered gravely.
Natalia halted, drawing her brows together thoughtfully.
"No, I don't remember particularly, Mammy," she cried gaily, blowing a kiss back to the old woman. "Come out to-morrow and tell me about it. Good-bye!"
Dicey turned back into the hall and locked the door after her. It was almost dark now, and as she stood alone among the grey shadows of the twilight the old look of visions burned wildly in her eyes.
Suddenly she went to the back door and out into the yard. Stopping at last before the wood house, she called to a negro man inside.
"Jonas! Jonas! Does yer know whar Marser is?"
"He mighty nigh two days' good ridin' way from heah. Whut yer wants ter know fer?"
"Nebber yer min', nigger. Yer go ter Jedge Houston's ter-night an' fin' out fer certin whar Marse Sargent am ter be found. We'se goin' ter be needin' him in er mighty few days."
CHAPTER IV
SLAVES FOR STAKES