to me. Then I would look at her. After that she would do as I bade her.” “I verily believe she would,” said the young man to himself as he went to the sideboard and filled one of the long stemmed pipes. “But I really cannot understand why.” He had scarcely finished his pipe when Dorothy came into the hall accompanied by a negro girl of about fourteen years, who bore a work basket with her. Seating herself, Dorothy gave the girl some instruction concerning the knitting she had been doing, and added: “You may sit in the back porch to-day. It is warm.” “Is it too warm, Miss Dorothy, for you to make a little excursion with me to the stables?” “Certainly not,” she quickly answered. “I’ll go at once.” “Thank you,” he said, “and we’ll stop in{57} the orchard on our way back and get some June apples. I remember where the trees are.” {57} “You want me to show you the horses, I suppose,” she said as the two set off side by side. “No; any of the negroes could do that. I want you to render me a more skilled service.” “What is it?” “I want you, please, to pick out a horse for me to ride while I stay at Wyanoke.” “While you stay at Wyanoke!” echoed the girl. “Why, that will be for all the time, of course.” “I hardly think so,” answered the young man, with a touch of not altogether pleased uncertainty in his tone. “You see I have important work to do, which I cannot do anywhere but in a great city—or at any rate,”—as the glamour of the easy, polished and altogether delightful contentment of Virginia life came over him anew, and its attractiveness sang like a siren in his ears,—“at any rate it cannot be so well done anywhere else as in a large city. I have come down here to Virginia only to see what duties I have to do here. If I find I can finish them in a few months or a year, I shall go back to my more important work.”{58} {58} The girl was silent for a time, as if pondering his words. Finally she said: “Is there anything more important than to look after your estate? You see