HOW JUNE FOUND MASSA LINKUM. 81 them coming in! and how Madame Joilet would hunt and scold ! She went out of the wood-shed and out of the yard, hush- ing the soft laugh on her lips, and holding her breath as she passed under her mistress’s window. She had heard Creline say that Massa Linkum had gone back to the North; so she walked up the street a little way, and then she turned aside into the vacant squares and unpaved roads, and so out into the fields, where no one could see her. It was very still and very dark. The great trees stood up like giants against the sky, and the wind howled hoarsely through them. It made June think of the blood-hounds that she had seen rushing with horrible yells to the swamps, where hunted slaves were hiding. ““T reckon ’t ain’t on’y little ways, Hungry,” she said with a shiver ; “we ’ll git dar ‘fore long. Don’ be ’fraid.” “Purr! pur-r-r!” said Hungry, nestling her head in warmly under June’s arm. “ *Spect you lub me, Hungry, — ’spect you does!” And then June laughed out softly once more. What would Massa Linkum say to the kitty? Had he ever seen such a kitty as that in all his life ? So she folded her arms tightly over Hungry’s soft fur, and trudged away into the woods. She began to sing a little as she walked, in that sorrowful, smothered way that made Madame Joilet angry. Ah, that was all over now! There would be no more scolding and beating, no more tired days, 4* F