United States or Mali ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"I accept your offer," I exclaimed at last, scarcely knowing what I said, and starting off at a brisk pace in the direction of the steamer. Mr Bleaks looked on in astonishment. I bid him pay more attention to the plantation, and with that brief injunction was about to step on board, when my five-and-twenty negroes came howling from behind the house. "Massa, Gor-a-mighty!
"Got de colonel's pistols!" he choked as he sped along the gravel walk toward the front door the quicker to reach the ballroom "and Marse Harry nothin' but a baby! Gor-a-Mighty! Gor-a-Mighty!" Had they all been grown-ups he might not have minded but his "Marse Harry," the child he brought up, his idol his chum! "Fo' Gawd, dey sha'n't kill 'im dey sha'n't!
Generations of Rutters were behind him this boy was in the direct line connecting the past with the present and on Colonel Talbot Rutter of Moorlands, and on no other, rested the responsibility of keeping the glorious name unsmirched. Todd, with one of the dogs at his heels, opened the door for him, smothering a "Gor-a-Mighty! sumpin's up fo' sho'!" when his hand turned the knob.
Dat beard on ye, Marse Harry, done fool me but you is him fo' sho. Gor-a-mighty! ain't I glad ye ain't daid. Marse George say on'y yisterday you was either daid or sick dat ye didn't write an' " "Said yesterday! Why, is he at home?" "HOME! Lemme throw a blanket over dis hoss and tie him tell we come back. Oh, we had a heap o' mis'ry since ye went away a heap o' trouble. Nothin' but trouble!
His heart was too near bursting with pride at his appearance and joy over his return for his mind to work intelligently. "Dem Yankees ain't sp'iled ye; no, dey ain't. Gor-a-mighty, ain't Malachi glad." Tears were standing in his eyes now. There was no one but Richard he loved better than Oliver.
The old man had climbed the fence, the dog had scrambled through, and both were threading their way across the swamp, when the report of a gun close by caused the dog to beat a retreat from the thicket into which he had thrust his nose, and, with tail tucked in, to creep to his master's side; while the old man, exclaiming, "Good Gor-a-mighty! whot dat?" pushed aside the bushes in order to see what game the boys had brought down.
Word Of The Day