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 a-going 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 man's kiss-the-Bible." She smiled and reddened up very sweet, and I says, "If you don't mind it, I'll shut the door--and bolt it."