She paused, and busied herself about the room, and remembering Mrs.
Murray's injunction that she should discourage conversation on the
part of the servants, Edna turned her face to the wall and shut her
eyes. But for once Hagar's habitual silence and non-committalism
were laid aside; and, stooping over the couch, she said hurriedly:

"Listen to me, child, for I like your patient ways, and want to give
you a friendly warning; you are a stranger in this house, and might
stumble into trouble. Whatever else you do, be sure not to cross
Mass' Elmo's path! Keep out of his way, and he will keep out of
yours; for he is shy enough of strangers, and would walk a mile to
keep from meeting anybody; but if he finds you in his way, he will
walk roughshod right over you--trample you. Nothing ever stops him
one minute when he makes up his mind. He does not even wait to
listen to his mother, and she is about the only person who dares to
talk to him. He hates everybody and everything; but he doesn't tread
on folks' toes unless they are where they don't belong. He is like a
rattlesnake that crawls in his own track, and bites everything that
meddles or crosses his trail. Above everything, child, for the love
of peace and heaven, don't argue with him! If he says black is
white, don't contradict him; and if he swears water runs up stream,
let him swear, and don't know it runs down. Keep out of his sight,
and you will do well enough, but once make him mad and you had
better fight Satan hand to hand with red-hot pitchforks! Everybody
is afraid of him, and gives way to him, and you must do like the
balance that have to deal with him. I nursed him; but I would rather
put my head in a wolf's jaws than stir him up; and God knows I wish
he had died when he was a baby, instead of living to grow up the
sinful, swearing, raging devil he is! Now mind what I say. I am not
given to talking, but this time it is for your good. Mind what I