She fell back suddenly and stared at him with
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Your master!” “Yes, it’s young Mas’ Tom Hatton.” “ An’ you want me an’ the childern to seehim, do you?” “ Why, yes, I thought —” ‘‘Humph! that’s the slave in you yet,” sheinterrupted. “I thought thirty years had madeyou free! Ain’t that the man you told me usedto knock you ’round so?” 196 NELSE HATTON’S VENGEANCE “Yes, "Lizy; but —” “‘ Ain’t he the one that made you haul him inthe wheelbar’, an’ whipped you because youcould n’t go fast enough?” “Yes, yes; but that —” “ Ain’t he the one that lef’ that scar there? ”she cried, with a sudden motion of her handtoward his neck. “‘ Yes,” said Nelse, very quietly; but he puthis hand up and felt the long, cruel scar that thelash of a whip had left, and a hard light cameinto his eyes. His wife went on: “ An’ you want to takeme an’ the childern in to see that man? No!”The word came with almost a snarl. ‘“ Me an’my childern are free born, an’, ef I kin help it,they sha’n’t never look at the man that laid thelash to their father’s back! Shame on you,Nelse, shame on you, to want your childern,that you’re tryin’ to raise independent, —towant ’em to see the man that you had to call“master” }”’ The man’s lips quivered, and his hand openedand shut with a convulsive motion; but he saidnothing. “ What did you tell me?” she asked. “Did n’t 197
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