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"Oh, dear, dear, to think they ain't ever going to see each other any more!"

"But they will -- and inside of two weeks -- and I know it!" says I.

Laws it was out before I could think! -- and before I could budge, she throws

her arms around my neck, and told me to say it again, say it again, say it again!

I see I had spoke too sudden, and said too much, and was in a close place. I

asked her to let me think a minute; and she set there, very impatient

and excited, and handsome, but looking kind of happy and eased-up, like

a person that's had a tooth pulled out. So I went to studying it out.

I says to myself, I reckon a body that ups and tells the truth when he

is in a tight place, is taking considerable many resks, though I ain't had no

experience, and can't say for certain; but it looks so to me, anyway; and yet

here's a case where I'm blest if it don't look to me like the truth is better,

and actuly safer, than a lie. I must lay it by in my mind, and think it over

some time or other, it's so kind of strange and unregular. I never see nothing

like it. Well, I says to myself at last, I'm agoing to chance it; I'll up and tell

the truth this time, though it does seem most like setting down on a kag of

powder and touching it off just to see where you'll go to. Then I says:

"Miss Mary Jane, is there any place out of town a little ways, where you

could go and stay three or four days?" ssssssssss

"Yes -- Mr. Lothrop's. Why?"

"Never mind why, yet. If I'll tell you how I know the niggers will see each

other again -- inside of two weeks -- here in this house -- and prove how I know it

-- will you go to Mr. Lothrop's and stay four days?"

"Four days!" she says; "I'll stay a year!"

"All right," I says, "I don't want nothing more out of you than just your

word -- I druther have it than another man's kiss-the-Bible." She smiled, and

reddened up very sweet, and I says, "If you don't mind it, I'll shut the door --

and bolt it." ssssssssss

Then I come back and set down again, and says:

"Don't you holler. Just set still, and take it like a man. I got to tell the

truth, and you want to brace up, Miss Mary, because it's a bad kind, and going to

be hard to take, but there ain't no help for it. These uncles of yourn ain't no

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