Here Robelia came again, conducting "Luke" and "Rebecca." Luke's garments were amusingly, heroically patched, yet both seniors were thoroughly¹ attractive; not handsome, but reflecting the highest, gentlest rectitude. One of their children had inherited all that was best from both parents, beautifully exalting² it; the other all that was poorest in earlier ancestors. They were evolution and reversion personified.  
The father was frank yet deferential³. Our parley⁴ was brief. His only pomp lay in his manner of calling me madam. I felt myself a queen. Handing him a note to the stable-keeper, "You can read," I said, "can't you? Or your son can?"
 
"No, madam, I regrets to say we's minus dat."
 
I hid my pleasure. "Well, at the stable, if they seem to think this note is from a man, or that the coach is owned by a man----"
 
"Keep silent," put in Euonymus, "an' see de counsel o' de Lawd ovehcome."
 
Luke went. I pencilled another note. It requested my landlady⁵ to give Euonymus a hat, boots, and suit from my armoire and speed him back all she could. (To avoid her queries⁶.)
 
Rebecca gazed anxiously after this second messenger. Robelia, near by, munched⁷ blackberries.
 
"Rebecca, did you ever think what you'd do if both your children were in equal danger?"
 
"Why, yass'm, I is studie' dat, dis ve'y day, ef de trufe got to be tol'."
 
Thought I: "If anything else has to be told, Robelia'll be my only helper." I asked Rebecca which one she would try to save first.
 
"Why, mist'ess, I could tell dat a heap sight betteh when de time come. De Lawd mowt move me to do most fo' de one what least fitt'n' to"--she choked--"to die. An' yit ag'in dat mowt depen' on de circumstances o' de time bein'."
 
"Well, it mustn't, Rebecca, it mustn't!"
 
"Y'--yass'm--no'm'm! Mustn' it?"
 
"No, in any case you must do as I tell you."
 
"Oh, o' co'se! yass'm!"
 
"So promise, now, that in any pinch you'll try first to save your son."
 
"Yass'm." A pang⁸ of duplicity showed in her uplifted glance, yet she murmured again: "Yass'm, I promise you dat." Nevertheless, I had my doubts.
 
A hum of voices told us my two anglers were approaching, and with Rebecca's quieting hand on the pusillanimous⁹ Robelia we drew into hiding and saw them cross the corner of a clearing and vanish again downstream. Then, hearing the coach, we went to meet it.
 
Both messengers were on the box. Euonymus passed me my bundle of stuff. The coach turned round. Bidding Euonymus stay on the box I had Rebecca and Robelia take the front seat inside. Following in I remarked: "Good boy, that of yours, Luke."
 
Luke bowed so

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