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man。〃
To do Mr。 Meeke justice； he had a heart； though it was a very
small one。 He shook hands with me； and said he accepted my advice
as the advice of a friend； and so went back to his parsonage to
write the letter。 In half an hour I called for it on horseback；
but it was not ready for me。 Mr。 Meeke was ridiculously nice
about how he should express himself when he got a pen into his
hand。 I found him with his desk littered with rough copies； in a
perfect agony about how to turn his phrases delicately enough in
referring to my mistress。 Every minute being precious； I hurried
him as much as I could； without standing on any ceremony。 It took
half an hour more； with all my efforts； before he could make up
his mind that the letter would do。 I started off with it at a
gallop； and never drew rein till I got to the sea…port town。
The harbor…clock chimed the quarter past eleven as I rode by it；
and when I got down to the jetty there was no yacht to be seen。
She had been cast off from her moorings ten minutes before
eleven； and as the clock struck she had sailed out of the harbor。
I would have followed in a boat； but it was a fine starlight
night； with a fresh wind blowing； and the sailors on the pier
laughed at me when I spoke of rowing after a schooner yacht which
had got a quarter of an hour's start of us； with the wind abeam
and the tide in her favor。
I rode back with a heavy heart。 All I could do now was to send
the letter to the post…office； Stockholm。
The next day the doctor showed my mistress the scrap of paper
with the message on it from my master； and an hour or two after
that； a letter was sent to her in Mr。 Meeke's handwriting；
explaining the reason why she must not expect to see him at the
Hall； and referring to me in terms of high praise as a sensible
and faithful man who had spoken the right word at the right time。
I am able to repeat the substance of the letter； because I heard
all about it from my mistress； under very unpleasant
circumstances so far as I was concerned。
The news of my master's departure did not affect her as the
doctor had supposed it would。 Instead of distressing her； it
roused her spirit and made her angry； her pride； as I imagine；
being wounded by the contemptuous manner in which her husband had
notified his intention of sailing to Sweden at the end of a
message to a servant about packing his clothes。 Finding her in
that temper of mind； the letter from Mr。 Meeke only irritated her
the more。 She insisted on getting up； and as soon as she was
dressed and downstairs； she vented her violent humor on me；
reproaching me for impertinent interference in the affairs of my
betters； and declaring that she had almost made up her mind to
turn me out of my place for it。 I did not defend myself； because
I respected her sorrows and the irritation that came from them；
also； because I knew the natural kindness of her nature well
enough to be assured that she would make amends to me for her
harshness the moment her mind was composed again。 The result
showed that I was right。 That same evening she sent for me and
begged me to forgive and forget the hasty words she had spoken in
the morning with a grace and sweetness that would have won the
heart of any man who listened to her。
Weeks passed after this； till it was more than a month since the
day of my master's departure； and no letter in his handwriting
came to Darrock Hall。
My mistress； taking this treatment more angrily than sorrowfully；
went to London to consult her nearest relations； who lived there。
On leaving home she stopped the carriage at the parsonage； and
went in （as I thought； rather defiantly） to say good…by to Mr。
Meeke。 She had answered his letter； and received others from him；
and had answered them likewise。 She had also； of course； seen him
every Sunday at church； and had always stopped to speak to him
after the service； but this was the first occasion on which she
had visited him at his house。 As the carriage stopped； the little
parson came out； in great hurry and agitation； to meet her at the
garden gate。
〃Don't look alarmed； Mr。 Meeke；〃 says my mistress； getting out。
〃Though you have engaged not to come near the Hall； I have made
no promise to keep away from the parsonage。〃 With those words she
went into the house。
The quadroon maid； Josephine； was sitting with me in the rumble
of the carriage； and I saw a smile on her tawny face as the
parson and his visitor went into the house together。 Harmless as
Mr。 Meeke was； and innocent of all wrong as I knew my mistress to
be； I regretted that she should be so rash as to despise
appearances； considering the situation she was placed in。 She had
already exposed herself to be thought of disrespectfully by her
own maid； and it was hard to say what worse consequences might
not happen after that。
Half an hour later we were away on our journey。 My mistress
stayed in London two months。 Throughout all that long time no
letter from my master was forwarded to her from the country
house。
CHAPTER II。
WHEN the two months had passed we returned to Darrock Hall。
Nobody there had received any news in our absence of the
whereabouts of my master and his yacht。
Six more weary weeks elapsed； and in that time but one event
happened at the Hall to vary the dismal monotony of the lives we
now led in the solitary place。 One morning Josephine came down
after dressing my mistress with her face downright livid to look
at； except on one check； where there was a mark as red as burning
fire。 I was in the kitchen at the time； and I asked what was the
matter。
〃The matter！〃 says she； in her shrill voice and her half…foreign
English。 〃Use your own eyes； if you please； and look at this
cheek of mine。 What！ have you lived so long a time with your
mistress； and don't you know the mark of her hand yet？〃
I was at a loss to understand what she meant； but she soon
explained herself。 My mistress； whose temper had been sadly
altered for the worse by the trials and humiliations she had gone
through； had got up that morning more out of humor than usual；
and； in answer to her maid's inquiry as to how she had passed the
night； had begun talking about her weary； miserable life in an
unusually fretful and desperate way。 Josephine； in trying to
cheer her spirits； had ventured； most improperly； on making a
light； jesting reference to Mr。 Meeke； which had so enraged my
mistress that she turned round sharp on the half…breed and gave
herto use the common phrasea smart box on the ear。 Josephine
confessed that； the moment after she had done this； her better
sense appeared to tell her that she had taken a most improper way
of resenting undue familiarity。 She had immediately expressed her
regret for having forgotten herself； and had proved the sincerity
of it by a gift of half a dozen cambric handkerchiefs； presented
as a peace…offering on the spot。 After that I thought it
impossible that Josephine could bear any malice against a
mistress whom she had served ever since she had been a girl； and
I said as much to her when she had done telling me what had
happened upstairs。
〃I！ Malice！〃 cries Miss Josephine； in her hard； sha