rocking to
and fro in her helpless grief.

"What 's de mattah, Fannie? Ain't you glad to see me?"

"Yes, yes, but you don't know nothin', do you? Dey lef' me to tell you?"

"Lef' you to tell me? What 's de mattah? Is Joe or Kit daid? Tell me."

"No, not daid. Kit dances on de stage fu' a livin', an', Be'y, she ain't
de gal she ust to be. Joe--Joe--Joe--he 's in pen'tentiary fu' killin' a
ooman."

Berry started forward with a cry, "My Gawd! my Gawd! my little gal! my
boy!"

"Dat ain't all," she went on dully, as if reciting a rote lesson; "I
ain't yo' wife no mo'. I 's ma'ied ag'in. Oh Be'y, Be'y, don't look at
me lak dat. I could n't he'p it. Kit an' Joe lef' me, an' dey said de
pen'tentiary divo'ced you an' me, an' dat you 'd nevah come out nohow.
Don't look at me lak dat, Be'y."

"You ain't my wife no mo'? Hit 's a lie, a damn lie! You is my wife. I
's a innocent man. No pen'tentiay kin tek you erway f'om me. Hit 's
enough what dey 've done to my chillen." He rushed forward and seized
her by the arm. "Dey sha'n't do no mo', by Gawd! dey sha'n't, I say!"
His voice had risen to a fierce roar, like that of a hurt beast, and he
shook her by the arm as he spoke.

"Oh, don't, Be'y, don't, you hu't me. I could n't he'p it."

He glared at her for a moment, and then the real force of the situation
came full upon him, and he bowed his head in his hands and wept like a
child. The great sobs came up and stuck in his throat.

She crept up to him fearfully and laid her hand on his head.

"Don't cry, Be'y," she said; "I done wrong, but I loves you yit."

He seized her in his arms and held her tightly until he could control
himself. Then he asked weakly, "Well, what am I goin' to do?"

"I do' know, Be'y, 'ceptin' dat you 'll have to leave me."

"I won't! I 'll never leave you again," he replied doggedly.

"But, Be'y, you mus'. You 'll only mek it ha'der on me, an' Gibson 'll
beat me ag'in."

"Ag'in!"

She hung her head: "Yes."

He gripped himself hard.

"Why cain't you come on off wid me, Fannie? You was mine fus'."

"I could n't. He would fin' me anywhaih I went to."

"Let him fin' you. You 'll be wid me, an' we 'll settle it, him an'
me."

"I want to, but oh, I can't, I can't," she wailed. "Please go now, Be'y,
befo' he gits home. He 's mad anyhow, 'cause you 're out."

Berry looked at her hard, and then said in a dry voice, "An' so I got to
go an' leave you to him?"

"Yes, you mus'; I 'm his'n now."