- and then busted out bitterer than ever,
and flung up her hands, and says:
    »Oh, dear, dear, to think they ain't ever going to see each other any more!«
    »But they will - and inside of two weeks - and I know it!« says I.
    Laws it was out before I could think! - and before I could budge, she throws
her arms around my neck, and told me to say it again, say it again, say it
again!
    I see I had spoke too sudden, and said too much, and was in a close place. I
asked her to let me think a minute; and she set there, very impatient and
excited, and handsome, but looking kind of happy and eased-up, like a person
that's had a tooth pulled out. So I went to studying it out. I says to myself, I
reckon a body that ups and tells the truth when he is in a tight place, is
taking considerable many resks, though I ain't had no experience, and can't say
for certain; but it looks so to me, anyway; and yet here's a case where I'm
blest if it don't look to me like the truth is better, and actuly safer, than a
lie. I must lay it by in my mind, and think it over some time or other, it's so
kind of strange and unregular. I never see nothing like it. Well, I says to
myself at last, I'm agoing to chance it; I'll up and tell the truth this time,
though it does seem most like setting down on a kag of powder and touching it
off just to see where you'll go to. Then I says:
    »Miss Mary Jane, is there any place out of town a little ways, where you
could go and stay three or four days?«
    »Yes - Mr. Lothrop's. Why?«
    »Never mind why, yet. If I'll tell you how I know the niggers will see each
other again - inside of two weeks - here in this house - and prove how I know it
- will you go to Mr. Lothrop's and stay four days?«
    »Four days!« she says; »I'll stay a year!«
    »All right,« I says, »I don't want nothing more out of you than just your
word - I druther have it than another