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Updated: May 23, 2025
"I I seen it," whispered Mavity Bence, plucking at Johnnie's sleeve. "I was in the fore room here and I seen it all." She spoke defiantly, but her terrified glance barely raised itself to the menacing countenances of the two men on the other side of the lounge, and fell at once. "I never heard nothin' they was sayin'," she made haste to add.
But Mavity had not lived with Pap Himes for nearly forty years without knowing what was suited to him, in distinction, perhaps, from mankind in general. She made no reply, but continued to bring in the baggage, and Johnnie, after settling her mother in a rocking-chair with the cool drink which the little woman had specified, hurried down to help her.
"Hit wasn't about your Uncle Pros that I was meaning. At least not about his gettin' away from the hospital," amended Mavity. "It was about the day he got hurt here. I I always aimed to tell you. I know I ort to have done it. I was always a-goin' to, and then Pap he " She broke off and stood silent so long that Johnnie turned and looked at her.
"Shade whar's Johnnie?" panted Mandy, shaking him by the arm. "I been up to the house, and she ain't thar. Pap ain't thar, neither. I was skeered to name my business to Laurelly; Aunt Mavity ain't no help and, and Shade whar's Johnnie?" Buckheath looked down into her working, tragic face and his mouth hardened. "She ain't at home," he said finally. "I've been at Himes's all evening.
"Why, of course, Aunt Mavity," returned Johnnie wonderingly, trying to get sight of the older woman's face. Mrs. Bence took a plate and hurried out for more biscuits. She came back with some resolution plainly renewed in her mind. "Johnnie," she began once more, "there's something I've got to tell you.
Aw law huh! Business there's two kinds of business; but that was a bad business for Zack Shalliday. I reckon I'll go up on Unaka to-morrow, if Mavity can run the house without me." A vine on Mavity Bence's porch turned to blood crimson.
And at that moment Johnnie heard Mavity Bence's voice replying to her. "Aunt Mavity," she began, "this is Johnnie. I'm up at Mr. Hardwick's now. Uncle Pros is out in the mountains, and I'm going to look for him. I'd rather not have anybody know I'm gone; do you understand that? Try to keep it from the boarders and the children. You and Mandy are the only ones that would have to know."
Mavity invariably claimed the ecclesiastical privilege of speech. No meeting was complete, no topic exhausted, until he had exercised that right. It did not matter whether he had anything pertinent to say, the fact still remained that he felt called upon to say something: "I should like to ask Mr. Thane if he thinks the Germans are preparing for another war. We have heard rumours to that effect.
Then swiftly she bent once more over the little woman in the bed. "Mother," she said before Laurella could speak or answer her, "Aunt Mavity can wait on you and Deanie for a little while with what help Lissy will give you can't she, honey? And Mandy was coming downstairs to her breakfast this morning she's able to be afoot now and I know she'll be wanting to help tend on Deanie.
"What is it, Aunt Mavity?" she asked. "Is anything the matter?" "I hate to werry ye, Johnnie," said the other's deprecating voice; "but looks like I've jest got obliged to have a little help this evenin'. I'm plumb dead on my feet, and there's all the dishes to do and a stack of towels and things to rub out." Her dim gaze questioned the young face above her dubiously, almost desperately.
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