Then forcing himself to a more composed movement he hastened into the house and ordered his horse.
"Tell my children to make merry while I am gone," he left word.

"I shall be back to-night," and the horse's hoofs clattered down a by-road leading to the city.
"Charlie," said the planter, riding up to a window, from which the old man's nightcap was thrust out, "what you say, Charlie,--my house for yours, eh, Charlie--what you say ?" "Ello!" said Charlie; "from where you come from dis time of to-night ?" "I come from the Exchange in St.Louis Street." (A small fraction of the truth.) "What you want ?" said matter-of-fact Charlie.
"I come to trade." The low-down relative drew the worsted off his ears.

"Oh! yass," he said with an uncertain air.
"Well, old man Charlie, what you say: my house for yours,--like you said,--eh, Charlie ?" "I dunno," said Charlie; "it's nearly mine now.

Why you don't stay dare youse'f ?" "_Because I don't want!_" said the Colonel savagely.

"Is dat reason enough for you?
You better take me in de notion, old man, I tell you,--yes!" Charlie never winced; but how his answer delighted the Colonel! Quoth Charlie: "I don't care--I take him!--_mais_, possession give right off." "Not the whole plantation, Charlie; only"-- "I don't care," said Charlie; "we easy can fix dat _Mais_, what for you don't want to keep him?
I don't want him.