"'Lemme go in, Mis' Simons! Please lemme go in!' he keep on whisperin', like he cyan't sea'cely breve. 'Dey's after me, Mis' Simons! Dey's gwine git me! An' yer knows I ain't done a _thing to 'em_, Mis' Simons! Oh, w'at's dey a-chasin' me fer? I--I ain' _done a thing_!' "Yas'm, dat's jes de way he talk, an' 'mos' look like he's gwine fall right down, too, twell Mis' Simons tuk hole uv 'is arm, kine o' shekkin' 'im, like, an' turn 'roun' ter de do'. "'Go in, Jonah! Quick!' she say. 'Cuz dey's voices an' folks a-runnin' an' holl'in' right dere in de yard. She seem ter jes push 'im in an' shet de do'; an' den she stan' up, lookin' ser stret 'n' w'ite-like, didn' look r'ally _like_ Mis' Simons. "''Tain' gwine nobody else git--fru--dat-do',' she say, ser low couldn' nobody sca'cely hyeah it; an' den, oh, 'twuz jes awful! Dey all come a-knockin' up 'ginst de steps, an' a-holl'in' an' a-pushin', an' some uv 'em laffin' an' some uv 'em cursin', an' all uv 'em holl'in' 'bout de nigger, an' tellin' Mis' Simons ter bring out de nigger! "An' w'at yer s'pose? Mis' Simons she jes stan' dere same's ever, a-lookin' down on 'em wid 'er back ter de do'. [Illustration: "'IT'S TIME FER YOU TER GO TO BAID, AIN'T IT, 'ZEKIEL?' SHE SAY"] "'Bring 'im out!' dey keep on a-holl'in'. 'Bring 'im out!' "An' 'er face look all w'ite an' dazzlin' in de light, an' 'er voice come low an' kine o' shekkin' like. 'No,' she say, 'I cert'nly is not gwine--bring 'im out,' she say. Yas'm, dat's jes de 'sponse she make. An' den dey all 'mence holl'in' ag'in 'bout crim'nal 'n'--'n' murd'rer, an' sayin' does she want 'em ter go in _af_-ter 'im, an' buntin' up 'ginst de steps ag'in, an' jostlin' an' pushin', twell Mis' Simons kine o' step forrad a li'l', still a-lookin' down at 'em. "'Ain't yer 'shame!' she say. '_Oh--ain't--yer--'shame_!' An' I 'clare, ez she stood dere, seem like I ain' nuver seed 'er eyes look ser clare 'n' burnin'-like, ner 'er face ser dazzlin' w'ite. "'He's jes ez innercent uv any crime--ez I is,' she say. 'I knows it, 'cuz I knows 'im,' she say; 'an'--you knows it! Ef yer doan't--it's 'cuz yer doan't cyare 'nough 'bout it--ter--fine--out.' "It's one r'al big man where seem ter be kine o' mekkin' all de res' uv 'em do jes like he done, an' fum de ve'y time Mis' Simons 'mence ter speak he jes stood dere a-lookin' at 'er like he cyan't move ner holler. "'Yer--doan't cyare 'nough 'bout it--ter--fine out!' she say; 'an' den _dis_ yere's de kine o' thing yer do! Oh, it's de kine o' thing we's 'blige answer fer--eve'y day!' An' she stop, kine o' gaspin' like, ter ketch 'er bref. "Well, de ve'y same time she stop, de big man turn 'roun' awful quick 'n' look off r'al sudden at de road an' den he look at de res' where's cursin' 'n' laffin'----" "Ezekiel!" interrupted Miss North in a sharp whisper, catching at his arm. Then her hand dropped, and she looked around her.