"I wish Morgan could have had the gumption to marry in his own
country; but he must go running after a Scotchwoman! A Yankee
would have brought up his child to be worth something. Give me
Yankees!"
Ellen set down the cup she was wiping.
"You don't know anything about my mother," she said. "You
oughtn't to speak so — it's not right."
"Why ain't it right, I should like to know?" said Miss
Fortune; — "this is a free country, I guess. Our tongues ain't
tied — we're all free here."
"I wish we were," muttered Ellen; — "I know what I'd do."
"What would you do?" said Miss Fortune.
Ellen was silent. Her aunt repeated the question in a sharper
tone.
"I oughtn't to say what I was going to," said Ellen — "I'd
rather not."
"I don't care," said Miss Fortune; "you began, and you shall
finish it. I will hear what it was."
"I was going to say, if we were all free I would run away."
"Well, that _is_ a beautiful, well-behaved speech! I am glad to
have heard it. I admire it very much. Now, what were you doing
yesterday up on the Nose? Please to go on wiping. There's a
pile ready for you. What were you doing yesterday afternoon?"
Ellen hesitated.
"Were you alone, or with somebody?"
"I was alone part of the time."
"And who were you with the rest of the time?"
"Miss Humphreys."
"Miss Humphreys! — what were you doing with her?"
"Talking.
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