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Show 192 UNCLE TO~l'S CADIN: OR, who had, ln the course of her work, como ncar enough to hear Tom's last words, raised her heavy black eyes, and fixed them, for a. second, on l1im ; then, taking a. quantity of cotton from her basket, she placcLl it in l1is. "You know nothing about this place," she said, "or you woulU n't have done that. \Vhcn you 'Yo been here a month, you '11 be done helping anyl.Jody; you '11 find it hard enough to take care of your own skin ! " "~rho Lord forbid , ~Iissis!" saiJ Tom, using instinctively to his field companion the respectful form proper to the high bred with whom he had lived. 'l The Lord never visits these parts," said the woman, bitterly, as she went nimbly forward with her work; and again the scornful smile curled her lips. But tho action of the woman had been seen by the driver, across the field; and, flourishing his whip, he came up to her. '' "That! what ! '' be said to the woman, ·with an air of triumph, " YOU a foolin1 1 Go along! ycr under me now,-minll yourself, or yer '11 catch it! " A glance like sheet-lightning suddenly flashed from thoso black eyes; and, facing about, with quivering lip and dilated nostrHs, she drew herself up, and fixed a glance, blazing with rage and scorn, on tho driver. "Dog! " she said, "touch 'me, if you d::trc! I 've power enough, yet, to lmvc you torn by the dogs, burnt alive, cut to inches! I've only to say tho "·orcl !" "\Vhat de devil you here for, den 1" said the man, evidently cowed, and sullenly retreating a step or two. " Didn't mean no harm, ~iissc Cassy!" " Keep your distance, then! " said the woman. And, in LlFI•: Ai\IONO 'l'IIH LOWJ,Y. 193 truth, the man seemed greatly inclined to attend to something at the other end of lhc field, and started oil' in quick time. ~'he woman suddenly turned to her work, and labored with a despatch that was perfectly astonisl1ing to ':J..1om. She seemed to work by magic. Defore the da.y was through, her basket was filled, crowded down, and piled, and she had several times put largely into Tom's. Long after dusk, the whole weary train, with their baskets on tl1eir heads, defiled up to the building appropriated to the storing a.nd weighing the cotton. Legree was there, busily conversing with the two dri\•ers. "Dat ar Tom's gwine to make a powerful deal o' trouble. kept a puttin' into Lucy's basket.- One o' these ycr da.t wili got all dcr niggers to fcelin' 'bused, if Mas'r don't wotch Lim! " said Sambo. " Hey-dey ! ':rho black cuss ! " said Legree. " He '11 have to get a brcakin' in, won' t he, boys·~" Both negroes grinned a horrid grin, at this intimation. "Ay, a.y! let ~fas'r Legree alone, for brcakin' in! De dcbil hcsclf couldn't beat i\fas'r ot dat!, said Quimbo. "'Val, boys, the best way is to give him the flogging to do, till he gets over his notions. Break him in ! " "Lord, ~Ias' r '11 have ha.rd work to get do.t out o' him!" ''It'll ha.vc to come out of him, though! '' said Legree, as he rolled his tobacco in his mouth. "Now, dar's Lucy,- de aggravatinest, ugliest wench on de place! " pursued Sambo. "~{.lake care, Sam; I shall begin to think what's the rcason for your spite agin Lucy." "tV ell, 1\Ias'r knows she sot herself up a gin :Mas'r, and wouldn' t have me, when he tolled her to." "I'd a flogged her into 't," said Legree, spitting, "only VOL. II. 17 |