Hunter, looking
severely at the former property.
"Yas'm," said Aun' Sheba, suddenly becoming stolid as a graven image.
"Aunty," said Mara firmly but gently, "the time has come when I must act,
for your sake as well as my own. Nothing will prevent me from carrying out
this plan, except its failure to provide for Aun' Sheba as well as for
ourselves."
"Well, I wash my hands of it, and, if your course becomes generally known,
I shall have it understood that you acted without my approval." And she
rose and left the kitchen with great dignity.
When the door closed upon her, Aun' Sheba again shook in vast and silent
mirth.
"Doan you trubble long o' Missus, honey," she said, nodding encouragingly
at Mara. "She jes' like one dat lib in de dark an' can't see notin'
right." Then in sudden revulsion of feeling she added, "You po' honey
lam', doan you see you'se got to take keer ob her jes' as ef she was a
chile?"
"Yes," said Mara, sadly, "I've been compelled to see it at last."
"Now doan you be 'scouraged. 'Tween us we take keer ob her, an' she be a
heap betteh off eben ef she doan know it. You hab no dinner yit?"
"We were just going to get it as you came."
"Well now, honey, I habn't had a bite nudder, an' I'se gwine to take
dinneh heah ef you'se willin'."
"Why, surely, Aun' Sheba. It's little we have, you but know I'd share my
last crust with you."
Again the guest was bubbling over with good-natured merriment.
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