“I reckoned so. Now heark. You tell me straight, did David send fer ye, er didn’t he?”

In silence Cassandra turned to her work, until it seemed as if the room were filled with the suspense of the unanswered question. Then she tried evasion.

“Why do you ask in that way, mothah?”

“Because if he sont fer ye, I’ll help ye all I can; but if he didn’t, I’ll hinder ye, and ye’ll bide right whar ye be.”

“You won’t do that, mothah.”

“I sure will. If David haven’t sont fer ye, an’ ye go, ye’ll have to walk ovah me to get thar, hear?”

The