Day after day Rose Stuyvesant continued her ministry of love to Daph and the little ones. The hour of her morning visit was watched for, and hailed with joy, and well it might be, for she brought with her the sweet influence of a loving heart and an earnest devoted spirit.

The children were, as usual, eagerly looking out for her one morning, about a week after her first appearance in their humble home. Daph, who was once more on her feet, was moving[Pg 147] about with a step a little more languid than usual, trying, as she said, “to make the place look a bit more fitsome for the sweet young lady to sit down in.” Charlie, who was perched on a chair beside his sister, and had had his nose pressed from time to time flat against the window, and had drawn all sorts of strange characters, with his fat fingers, in the dampness left by his breath on the pane, at length had his attention suddenly arrested. “O, Lou!” he shouted, “look this way, on the steps! there’s that ugly, old, bad doctor, that cut dear Daffy’s arm, and two big men with him.”

“Good doctor, Charlie!” said Daph, “he wanted to make Daffy well, but[Pg 148] he didn’t jus know how. It took Miss Rose wid her sweet holy words to do Daph good.”

“He’s an old, bad doctor, I say, and shan’t come in!” said Charlie, springing towards the door, as the voice of the doctor sounded in the hall, and his hand touched the latch. The sturdy little figure of the boy, resolutely backed up against the door was but a small obstacle, in the way of the strong hands that forced it instantly open.

“For shame, Mass’ Charlie! Let the young gemman in!” said Daph, as she came forward, dropping a curtsy. “Ise quite well sir to day,” she continued, “and Ise mighty tankful for[Pg 149] you being so uncommon willing to do somewhat for to cure Daph, for by her arm do be a little stiff for de cuttin you gib it de oder day.”

“He’s an old, bad man to hurt Daffy, and I aint glad to see him a bit,” said Charlie, with an angry look.

“Do your work! This is the woman!” said the slender young doctor, turning to the stout men he had brought with him.

A strong hand was laid on each shoulder of the astonished Daph, and a rough voice said, “Come with us, old woman!”

“I isn’t goin to do no such thing,” said she, with an indignant glance. “What for is I goin to waste my time[Pg 150] goin with them as I has no business wid? Perhaps you doesn’t know what manners is, to be layin hands on a poor nigger dis way. Take your big hands off! Ise my misses’ childen to look after, and we’s would be glad to hab dis bit of a room to ourselves!”

Daph had not spoken very rapidly, but even as the indignant words forced themselves out of her mouth, she was hurried towards the door.

&ldqu............