She made up her mind to sell her off the place, and
picked the opportunity, while her son was absent, to send her to a
trader's pen in the city. When Louis came home, he found Milly looking
very sullen and distressed, and her eyes red with weeping.
"What is the matter?" said Louis.
"Matter enough," said Milly. "Missus done gone and sold Ellen."
"Sold Ellen! Why, how did that happen?"
"Why, she found out all about her, and said she should not stay on the
place another day, and so she sent her down to Orleans to the nigger
traders, and my heart's most broke," and Milly sat down, wiping her
tears with her apron.
"Never mind, Milly," said Louis, "I'll go down to New Orleans and bring
her back. Mother sha'n't do as she pleases with me, as if I were a boy,
and must always be tied to her apron string. I've got some money of my
own, and I mean to find Ellen if I have to look all over the country."
He entered the dining room, and saw his mother seated at the tea table,
looking as bland and pleasant as a Spring morning, and asked, "Where is
Ellen?"
The smile died from her lips, and she answered, curtly, "She is out of
_your_ reach [?]. I've sold her."
"But where have you sold her?"
"Out of your reach, and that is all I am going to tell you.
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