“What man en woman?” Linda asked, her mouth falling open in suspense, her thick lip hanging. “Abe Johnson en his wife.” Linda leaned forward, her hands locked like things of iron between her knees. “Who done it, Lewis?--who killed um?” she gasped. “Nobody knows dat yit, Lindy. Mrs. Johnson lived er little while after de neighbors come, en she said it was er--she said it was er yaller nigger, en--en--” He went no further, being at the end of his diplomacy, and simply stood before her helplessly twisting his hat in his hands. The room was very still. Helen wondered if her own heart had stopped beating, so tense and strained was her emotion. Linda sat bent forward for a moment; they saw her raise her hands to her head, press them there convulsively, and then she groaned. “Miz Johnson say it was a yaller nigger!” she moaned. “Oh, my Gawd!” “Yes, but what dat, 'oman?” Lewis demanded in assumed sharpness of tone. “Dar's oodlin's en oodlin's er yaller niggers over dar.” “Dey ain't none of 'em been whipped by de daid man, 'cepin' my boy.” Linda was now staring straight at him. “None of 'em never made no threats but Pete. Dey'll kill 'im--” She shuddered and her voice fell away into a prolonged sob. “You hear me? Dey'll hang my po' baby boy--hang 'im--_hang_ 'im!” Linda suddenly rose to her full height and stood glowering upon them, her face dark and full of passion and grief combined. She raised her hands and held them straight upward. “I want ter curse Gawd!” she cried. “You hear me? I ain't done nothin' ter deserve dis here thing I've been er patient slave of white folks, en my mammy an' daddy was 'fo' me. I've acted right en done my duty ter dem what owned me, en--en now I face dis. I hear my onliest child beggin' fer um to spare 'im en listen ter 'im. I hear 'im beggin' ter see his old mammy 'fo' dey kill 'im. I see 'em drag-gin' 'im off wid er rope roun'--” With a shriek the woman fell face downward on the floor. As if under the influence of a terrible nightmare, Helen bent over her. She was insensible. Without a word, Lewis lifted her in his arms and bore her to a bed in the corner. “Dis gwine ter kill yo' old mammy, honey,” he gulped. “She ain't never gwine ter git up fum under it--never in dis world.” But Helen, with womanly presence of mind, had dampened her handkerchief in some water and was gently stroking the dark face with it. After a moment Linda drew a deep, lingering breath and opened her eyes. “Lewis,” was her first thought, “go try en find out all you kin. I'm gwine lie here en pray Gawd ter be merciful. I said I'd curse 'Im, but I won't. He my mainstay. I _got_ ter trust 'Im. Ef He fail me I'm lost. Oh, honey, yo' old mammy never axed you many favors; stay here wid 'er en pray--pray wid all yo' might ter let dis cup pass. Oh, Gawd, don't let 'em!--_don't_ let 'em! De po' boy didn't do it. He wouldn't harm a kitten. He talked too much, case he was smartin' under his whippin', but dat was all!”