low, and more frantic
protestations from the whining Mrs. Hewlet.

Aunt Timmie waited no longer. She climbed laboriously over the rickety
wheel, pushed through the tottering gate, waddled up the sunbaked path
lined with jimpson-weeds which were a-buzz with June-bugs, and hesitated
just long enough to judge the carrying capacity of the decaying porch.
She well knew the risks invited by going in here. If Tom were drunk
enough and infuriated enough to strike his step-daughter, what might an
old negress expect? And she reasonably well surmised the circumstances
underlying Tom's present demand. She had not forgotten a fragment of
Brent's conversation with the Colonel one day while she was gathering up
their empty goblets, nor had Zack carried messages without her
knowledge. It seemed that Aunt Timmie's over-powering presence had a
faculty of drawing the innermost secrets from his small body and storing
them in her own big frame, as though they were in need of a safer
depository. Zack appreciated this, which was excuse enough for him. And,
indeed, if they found their way only to Aunt Timmie's hospitable bosom,
all situations were safe. She now knocked at the door and the noises
abruptly stopped. Then it was jerked open by Tom who stood glaring at
her.

"What d'you want?" he demanded.

"I want dat young step-gal of you-all's," she answered with dignity.
"Dey's sent fer her over home."

"The hell they have," Tom exclaimed, with a leer.

"Yas, sah," she replied, secretly frightened, but humble and courteous
before him. "I'se tol' to fetch her 'foh de trouble lands on you."

Tom paled. So they had changed their minds! He cursed his drunken folly
for having tried to bluff two gentlemen of their stamp, and Mrs. Hewlet
set up a wail of lamentation--as she would have done upon any
provocation whatsoever, real or fancied. Nancy alone stood apparently
unmoved before this blow, but her eyes had closed as though to shut out
a horrible, approaching humiliation.

"What d'you mean?" Tom demanded huskily.

He was leaning against the table for support, licking his lips and
staring. And in meeting this stare the old negress lost her own fright,
for she saw a man thoroughly cowered and conquered.

"What d'you mean?" he again asked.

"I don' mean nuthin'," she declared, "'cept dat I knows when dem big
jail dohs down dar at Frankfo't shets, dey's gwine stay shet a long
time, dat's all. Make haste, chile, an' git in mah buggy 'foh I bu