'Mercies!' said Aunt Chloe, 'don't see any mercies in 't. It isn't
right! it isn't right it should be so! Mas'r never ought to have left it
so that ye could be took for his debts. Mebbe he can't help himself now,
but I feel it's wrong. Nothing can beat that out of me. Such a faithful
crittur as ye've been, reckonin' on him more than your own wife and
chil'en.'

'Chloe! now, if ye love me, you won't talk so, when it is perhaps jest
the last time we'll ever have together,' said Tom.

'Wall, anyway, there's wrong about it somewhere,' said Aunt Chloe, 'I
can't jest make out where 'tis. But there is wrong somewhere, I'm sure
of that.'

Neither Tom nor Chloe could eat any breakfast; their hearts were too
full of sorrow. But the little children, who hardly understood what was
happening, enjoyed theirs. It was not often that they had such a fine
one as Chloe had cooked for Tom's last morning at home.

[Illustration]

Breakfast was just finished, when Mrs. Shelby came. Chloe was not very
pleased to see her. She was angry, and blamed her for letting Tom be
sold.

But Mrs. Shelby did not seem to see Aunt Chloe's angry looks. 'Tom,' she
said, turning to him, 'I come to--' she could say no more, she was
crying so bitterly.

Then all Aunt Chloe's anger faded away.