"A candle-light tea-party," exclaimed Mrs. Fulton, as she came into the
room and smiled down on the happy group.
"Perhaps Flora will own up," Grace said, as the two girls followed Mrs.
Fulton down the stairs. "Anyway, you are mighty fair about it, and
you're good to that stupid little darky."
"Oh, Estralla isn't stupid. Not a bit," replied Sylvia laughingly.
Estralla, who was carefully putting the little table in order, heard
Sylvia's defense of her, and for a moment she stood very straight,
holding one of the tiny cups in each hand.
"I jes' loves Missy Sylvia, I do, I jes' wish ez how I could do
somethin' so she'd know how I loves her," and two big tears rolled down
the black cheeks of the little slave girl who had known so little of
kindness or of joy.
CHAPTER IX
TROUBLESOME WORDS
It was a week after Sylvia's visit to the Hayes plantation before Flora
returned to school. A heavy rain had made the roads nearly impassable,
and a little scar on Flora's forehead reminded Sylvia and Grace of her
unlucky tumble. On Flora's first appearance at school Sylvia was
confident that she would at once confess her part in "Lady Caroline's"
appearance, and at recess she and Grace were eager to walk with Flora.
It was now the first of November, but the air was warm and the garden
had many blossoming plants and shrubs.
Flora said that she was glad to be back at school. She told the girls
that her father had returned from a northern trip and that he had given
Dinkie and her children to Philip.
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