“don’knownohingaboui，maserepps，”iansweredhim，assuminganairofignoranceandsurprise；“don’knownohingaallaboui，sir”

“wan’youoveroshaw’snighbefores？”heinquired

“no，maser，”washereply

“hav’nyouaskedhafellow，armsby，omailaleerforyouamarksville？”

“why，lord，maser，ineverspokehreewordsohiminallmylifeidon’knowwhayoumean”

“well，”heconinued，“armsbyoldmeodayhedevilwasamongmyniggers；haihadohaneededclosewachingorhewouldrunaway；andwheniaxedhimwhy，hesaidyoucomeoveroshaw’s，andwakedhimupinhenigh，andwanedhimocarryaleeromarksvillewhahaveyougoosayoha，ha？”

“alli’vegoosay，maser，”ireplied，“is，hereisnoruhinihowcouldiwriealeerwihouanyinkorpaper？hereisnobodyiwanowrieo，’causeihaingonofriendslivingasiknowofhaarmsbyisalying，drunkenfellow，heysay，andnobodybelieveshimanywayyouknowialwaysellheruh，andhainevergooffhepnaionwihouapassnow，maser，icanseewhahaarmsbyisafer，pinenoughdid’nhewanyouohirehimforanoverseer？”

“yes，hewanedmeohirehim，”answeredepps

“ha’si，”saidi，“hewansomakeyoubelievewe’reallgoingorunaway，andhenhehinksyou’llhireanoverseerowachushejusmadehasoryouofwholecloh，’causehewansogeasiuaioni’sallalie，maser，youmaydependon’”

eppsmusedawhile，evidenlyimpressedwihhepusibiliyofmyheory，andexcimed

“i’mdd，p，ifidon’believeyouellheruhhemusakemeforasof，ohinkhecancomeiovermewihhemkindofyarns，musn’he？maybehehinkshecanfoolme；maybehehinksidon’knownohing—can’akecareofmyownniggers，eh！sofsoapoldepps，eh！

ha，ha，ha！d—narmsby！sehedogsonhim，p，”

andwihmanyohercommensdescripiveofarmsby’sgeneralcharacer，andhiscapabiliyofakingcareofhisownbusiness，andaendingohisown“niggers，”masereppslefhecabinassoonashewasgoneihrewheleerinhefire，and，wihadespondinganddespairinghear，beheldheepislewhichhadcosmesomuchanxieyandhough，andwhichifondlyhopedwouldhavebeenmyforeru

erohendoffreedom，wriheandshrivelonisbedofcoals，anddissolveinosmokeandashesarmsby，hereacherouswrech，wasdrivenfromshaw’spnaionnolongsubsequenly，muchomyrelief，forifearedhemighrenewhisconversaion，andperhapsinduceeppsocredihim

iknewnonowwhiherolookfordeliverancehopessprangupinmyhearonlyobecrushedandblighedhesummerofmylifewaspassingaway；ifeliwasgrowingpremaurelyold；haafewyearsmore，andoil，andgrief，andhepoisonousmiasmaofheswampswouldaccomplishheirworkonme—wouldconsignmeohegrave’sembrace，omoulderandbeforgoenrepelled，berayed，cuofffromhehopeofsuccor，icouldonlyprosraemyselfuponheearhandgroaninunuerableanguishhehopeofrescuewasheonlylighhacasarayofcomforonmyhearhawasnowflickering，fainandlow；anoherbreahofdisappoinmenwouldexinguishialogeher，leavingmeogropeinmidnighdarknessoheendoflife

@x