Chapter 5 - Page 2

Hallam, his term there had expired, and the Conference, which would
determine his next movement, was then sitting. Her thoughts were
drifting on these two topics when a woman softly entered the room. She
looked at Phyllis's closed eyes, and with a smile went here and there
laying out clean white muslins, and knots of pink ribbons, and all the
pretty accessories of a young maiden's evening toilet.

"Thar now, Miss Phill! I'se ready--and I 'spects thar's some good news
for you, honey!"

Phyllis opened her eyes. "I heard you, Harriet. I was not asleep. As
for good news, I think you are always expecting it--besides, I had
some to-day."

"Dat's de reason,--Miss Phill--'whar you going good news? Jest whar
I'se been afore.' Dat's de way. I reckon I knows 'bout it."

"What makes you know this time, Harriet? Has the postman been, or a
bird whispered it to you, or have some of Waul's servants been making
a call here?"

"I don't 'ceive any of de Waul's servants, Miss Phill. I'se not
wanting my char'ctar hung on ebery tree top in de county. No, I draws
my s'picions in de properest way. Mass'r Richard git a letter dis
morning. Did he tell you, Miss Phill?"

"I have not seen him since breakfast."

"I thought he'd kind ob hold back 'bout dat letter. I knows dat letter
from Mass'r John. I'se sure ob it."

"Did you look--at the outside of it, I mean--Harriet?"

"No, Miss Phill, I didn't look neider at de outside, nor de inside;
I's not dat kind; I look at Mass'r Richard's face. Bless you, Miss
Phill! Mass'r Richard kaint hide nothing. If he was in love Harriet
would know it, quick as a flash--"

"I think not, Harriet."

"Den I tell you something, Miss Phill. Mass'r Richard been in love
eber since he come back from ober de Atterlantic Ocean. P'raps you
don't know, but I done found him out."

Phyllis laughed.

"I tell you how I knows it. Mass'r Richard allays on de lookout for
de postman; and he gits a heap ob dem bluish letters wid a lady's face
in de corner."

"That is Queen Victoria's face. You don't suppose Master Richard is
in love with Queen Victoria?"

"Miss Phill, de Fontaines would fall in love wid de moon, and think
dey pay her a compliment--dey mighty proud fambly, de Fontaines; but
I'se no such fool as not to know de lady's head am worth so many cents
to carry de letter. But, Miss Phill, who sends de letters? Dat am de
question."

"Of course, that would decide it."

"Den when Mass'r Richard gits one of dem letters, he sits so
quiet-like, thinking and smiling to