I knows dat, sartin shuh." When the two had taken leave of the old woman, and Miss Annie had gone out of the door, Aunt Patsy leaned very far forward, and stretching out her long arm, seized Mr Croft by the skirt of his coat.

He stepped back, quite surprised, and then she said to him, in a low but very earnest voice: "I reckon dat dat ar sprain ankle was nuffin but a acciden'; but you look out, sah, you look out! Hab you got dem little shoes handy ?" "Oh, yes," said Lawrence.

"I have them in my trunk." "Keep 'em whar you kin put your han' on 'em," said Aunt Patsy, impressively.

"You may want 'em yit.

You min' my wuds." "I shall be sure to remember," said Lawrence, as he hastened out to rejoin Annie.
"What in the world had Aunt Patsy to say to you ?" asked that somewhat surprised young lady.
Then Lawrence told her how some time before Aunt Patsy had given him a pair of blue shoes, which she said would act as a preventive charm, in case Mrs Keswick should ever wish to do him harm, and that she had now called him back to remind him not to neglect this means of personal protection.