His Marse David had sent for her and wanted her to come at once. He
had brought a horse for her.

"Is he ill--seriously ill?" He had had a bad cold and was worse.

"The doctor--has he sent for the doctor?"

The negro said that he was to take her back first and then go for
the doctor.

"Go at once."

It was very dark, he urged, and slippery.

"Go on for the doctor! Where have you left the horse?"

The horse was at the stiles. The negro insisted that it would be
better for him to go back with her.

"Don't lose time," she said, "and don't keep me waiting. Go! as
quickly as you can!"

The negro cautioned her to dismount at the frozen creek.

When Gabriella, perhaps an hour later, knocked at the side door of
David's home,--his father's and mother's room,--there was no
summons to enter. She turned the knob and walked in. The room was
empty; the fire had burned low; a cat lay on the hearthstones. It
raised its head halfway and looked at her through the narrow slits
of its yellow eyes and curled the tip of its tail--the cat which is