The next day and the next night passed without a visit from Tulee.  Mr. and Mrs. Bright, who entered into the affair with the liveliest interest, expressed the opinion that she had been spirited away and sent South.  The sisters began to entertain a similar fear; and it was decided that their husbands should call with them the following morning, to have a talk with Mr. and Mrs. Robbem.  But not long after breakfast, Tulee stole into the back door with the cherub in her arms.

“O Missy Flory,” said she, “I tried to get here last night.  But Missis Robbem takes a heap o’ care o’ me.”  She said this with a mischievous smile.  “When we was at the Astor House, she locked up my clothes in her room, ’cause New York was such a dreadful wicked place, she was ‘fraid they’d be stole; and she never let me out o’ her sight, for fear the colored waiters in the hotel would be impudent to me.  Last night she sent me away up into the cupola to sleep, ’cause she said I could have more room there.  And when I’d got the picaninny asleep, and was watching for a chance to steal away, she come all the way up there very softly, and said she’d brought me some hot drink, ’cause I didn’t seem to be well.  Then she begun to advise me not to go near the next house.  She told me Abolitionists was very bad people; that they pretended to be great friends to colored folks, but all they wanted was to steal ’em and sell ’em to the West Indies.  I told her I didn’t know nothing ’bout Abolitionists; that the lady I was hugging and kissing was a New Orleans lady that I used to wait upon when we was picaninnies.  She said if you had the feelings Southern ladies ought to have, you wouldn’t be boarding with Abolitionists.  When she went down stairs I didn’t dare to come here, for fear she’d come up again with some more hot drink.  This morning she told me to walk up street with the picaninny; and she watched me till I was out o’ sight.  But I went round and round and got over a fence, and come through Massa Bright’s barn.”

Mr. and Mrs. King came in as she was speaking; and she turned to them, saying anxiously, “Do you think, Massa, if I don’t go back with ’em, they’ll let me have my chil’ren?”

“Don’t call me Massa,” replied Mr. King, “I dislike the sound of it.  Speak to me as other people do.  I have no doubt we shall manage it so that you will have your children.  I will lead home this pretty little Tot, and tell them you are going to stay with us.”

With bonbons and funny talk he gained the favor of Tot, so that she consented to walk with him.  Tulee often applied her apron to her eyes, as she watched the little creature holding by his finger, and stepping along in childish fashion, turning her toes inward.  When she disappeared through the Deacon’s front door, she sat down and cried outright.  “I love that little picaninny,” sobbed she.  “I’ve tended her ever since she was born; and I love her.  She’ll cry for Tulee.  But I does want to be free, and I does want to live with ye, Missy Rosy and Missy Flory.”