When I comed here from Caroliny de Mistis done tole me not ter
let er soul in hyah. One day erbout three mont's ergo, dis yer lady come
en she des wheedled me ter let her in. She was de quality, Marse Dave,
and I was des' afeard not ter. I declar' I hatter. Hush," said Lindy,
putting her fingers to her lips, "dar's de Mistis!"
The door into the back room opened, and Mrs. Temple stood on the
threshold, staring with uncertain eyes into the semi-darkness.
"Lindy," she said, "what have you done?"
"Miss Sally--" Lindy began, and looked at me. But I could not speak for
looking at the lady in the doorway.
"Who is it?" she said again, and her hand sought the door-post
tremblingly. "Who is it?"
Then I went to her. At my first step she gave a little cry and swayed,
and had I not taken her in my arms I believe she would have fallen.
"David!" she said, "David, is it you? I--I cannot see very well. Why did
you not speak?" She looked at Lindy and smiled. "It is because I am an
old woman, Lindy," and she lifted her hand to her forehead. "See, my
hair is white--I shock you, David."
Leaning on my shoulder, she led me through a little bedroom in the rear
into a tiny garden court beyond, a court teeming with lavish colors and
redolent with the scent of flowers. A white shell walk divided the
garden and ended at the door of a low outbuilding, from the chimney of
which blue smoke curled upward in the evening air.
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