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The battery had hitched up preparatory to returning to their quarters before I lost interest in the spectacle and reluctantly turned aith the slowly dispersing crowd Just then I becaro, apparently the favored servant in so me with an intentness which arousedextre directly across the vacated field Scarcely had I taken ten steps before I saw that he was following, and as I wheeled to front hilish

"Mornin', sah," he said, lisher Massa Benteen froazed directly at him in astonishe black know ood hu in it surely to mistrust, yet totally unknown to me

"You speak correctly," I made reply, surprise evident in the tones of my voice "I have no reason to deny my name, which is held an honest one here in New Orleans How you learned it, however, remains a mystery, for I never looked upon your face before"

"No, sah; I s'pects not, sah, 'cause I nebber yet hab been in dee fer Massa Benteen, an' I done reckon as how dat ae for me? Surely, boy, you either mistake, or are crazy Yet stay! Does it come from Nick Burton, the flatboat-man?"

"No, sah; it am a lady wat sentan earnestness which caused rave one

"A lady?"

I echoed the unexpected word, scarcely capable of believing the testimony of my own ears Yet as I did so , while I felt the hot blood rush to ay courtier of the town, but a hunter of the woods, attired in rough habiliments, little fitted to attract the attention of wolitter all about

A lady! In the naods, what lady? Even in the old days I enjoyed but a li women Indeed, I recalled only one in all the wide province of Louisiana who ro slave, and certainly she knew nothing offor ht upon the instant, with a smile The black must have made a mistake, or else sootten friend of my mother perhaps, had chanced to hear ofat ht of him partially restored my presence of mind