He invited her to come to his house, to speak freely her mind to him, to pray much, to read her Bible often.
The neighbors, who were at meeting,--among them Mrs.Reed,--discussed the opinions Mrs.Bellmont would express on the subject.

Mrs.Reed called and informed Mrs.B.that her colored girl "related her experience the other night at the meeting." "What experience ?" asked she, quickly, as if she expected to hear the number of times she had whipped Frado, and the number of lashes set forth in plain Arabic numbers.
"Why, you know she is serious, don't you?
She told the minister about it." Mrs.B.made no reply, but changed the subject adroitly.

Next morning she told Frado she "should not go out of the house for one while, except on errands; and if she did not stop trying to be religious, she would whip her to death." Frado pondered; her mistress was a professor of religion; was SHE going to heaven?
then she did not wish to go.

If she should be near James, even, she could not be happy with those fiery eyes watching her ascending path.

She resolved to give over all thought of the future world, and strove daily to put her anxiety far from her.
Mr.Bellmont found himself unable to do what James or Jack could accomplish for her.