hair, which he had once, in expression of pity,
kindly stroked on her now wrinkled but once
fair brow. There was a tempest gathering in his
heart, and at last, to ease his pent-up passion, he
exclaimed aloud, "By golly!" Recollecting his
former exposure, he glanced around to see if
Pete was in hearing again. Satisfied on this
point, he continued: "She'd be as much of a prize
to me as she'd fall short of coming up to the
mark with white folks. I don't care for past
things. I've done things 'fore now I's 'shamed
of. She's good enough for me, any how."

One more glance about the premises to be sure
Pete was away.

The next Saturday night brought Jim to the
hovel again. The cold was fast coming to tarry
its apportioned time. Mag was nearly despairing
of meeting its rigor.

"How's the wood, Mag?" asked Jim.

"All gone; and no more to cut, any how," was
the reply.

"Too bad!" Jim said. His truthful reply
would have been, I'm glad.

"Anything to eat in the house?" continued he.