To escape the complaining of her aunt, Mara shut herself in her room and
thought long and deeply. The conclusion was, "The gulf between us has
grown wider and deeper. When Mr. Clancy learns how I have sought
independence without his aid--" but she only finished the sentence by a
sad, bitter smile.
CHAPTER VII
MARA'S PURPOSE
"Neber had sech luck in all my bawn days," soliloquized Aun' Sheba as she
saw the bottom of her basket early in the day. "All my cus'mers kin' o'
smilin' like de sunshine. Only Marse Clancy grumpy. He go by me like a
brack cloud. I'se got a big grudge against dat ar young man. He use to be
bery sweet on Missy. He mus' be taken wid some Norvern gal, and dat's
'nuff fer me. Ef he lebe my honey lam' now she so po', dar's a bad streak
in his blood and he don' 'long to us any mo'. I wouldn't be s'prised ef
dey hadn't had a squar meal fer a fortnight. I can make blebe dat I wants
to take my dinner 'long o' dem to sabe time, an' den dey'll hab a dinner
wat'll make Missy real peart 'fore she gin to work," and full of her
kindly intentions she bought a juicy steak, some vegetables, a quantity of
the finest flour, sugar, coffee, and some spices.
Mara had slipped out and invested the greater part of her diminished hoard
in the materials essential to her new undertaking. Not the least among
them, as she regarded it, was an account book. When, therefore, Aun' Sheba
bustled in between one and two o'clock, she found some bulky bundles on
the kitchen table over which Mrs.
Pages:
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68