She obeyed it with very little delay, and found Mr.Weston seated in his arm-chair, looking over a note which he held in his hand.
"Come in, Phillis," he said, in a kind but grave manner.

"I want to speak with you for a few moments; and as I have always found you truthful, I have no doubt you will be perfectly so on the present occasion." "What is it, master ?" Phillis said, respectfully.
"I received a note, yesterday, from Mr.Dawson, about his servant Jim, who ran away three weeks ago.

He charges me with having permitted my servants to shelter him for the night, on my plantation; having certain information, that he was seen leaving it the morning after the severe storm we had about that time.

If you know any thing of it, Phillis, I require you to tell it to me; I hardly think any of the other servants had opportunities of doing so, and yet I cannot believe that you would so far forget yourself as to do what is not only wrong, but calculated to involve me in serious difficulties with my neighbors." "I hope you will not be angry with me, master ?" said Phillis, "but I can't tell a lie; I let Jim stay in my room that night, and I've been mightily troubled about it; I was afeard you would be angry with me, if you heard of it, and yet, master, I could not help it when it happened." "Could not help it! Phillis," said Mr.Weston.

"What do you mean by that?
Why did you not inform me of it, that I might have sent him off ?" "I couldn't find it in my heart, sir," said Phillis, the tears coming in her fine eyes.