calling me Jacob and Jakey, a good deal as a man will try to smooth down
or pacify a vicious horse or mule; and after I had looked everywhere, I
faced him, took him by the throat, and choked him until his tongue stuck
out, and his face was purple.

"My God," said the girl, who had grown suddenly quiet, "you're killing
him!"

I looked at his empurpled face, and my madness came back on me like a
rush of fire through my veins--and I shut down on his throat again until
I could feel the cords draw under my fingers like taut ropes.

She laid her hand rather gently on my breast, and looked me steadily in
the eye.

"Fool!" she almost whispered. "Your mother's dead! Will it bring her
back to life for you to stretch hemp?"

I guess that by that action she saved my life; but it has been only of
late years that I have ceased to be sorry that I did not kill him. I
looked back into her eyes for a moment--I remember yet that they were
bright blue, with a lighter band about the edge of the sight, instead of
the dark edging that most of us have; and as I understood her meaning I
took my hands from Rucker's throat, and threw him from me. He lay on the
floor for a minute, and as he scrambled to his feet I sank down on the
nearest chair and buried my face in my hands.

It was all over, then; my long lone quest for my mother--a quest I had
carried on since I was a little, scared, downtrodden child. I should
never have the chance to serve her in my way as she had served me in