"Yes, she did, mother," said Rodney. Then, turning to the two women: "You ladies work for her now. You cook, and you wash. She and her daughter, General Bradford's wife, have gone to the springs. Did it take all the pillow-slip lace for your sleeves?" "Don't be too plain, Rodney," said his mother. "Mother, that's the dress General Bradford gave his wife. You know she told you about it. Mother, mother, what did you mean when you said that the ladies are patched with the blue and the gray?" "Mrs. Rodman is of the North. General Bradford is of the South. One means the blue, the other the gray." "If we are wearing things that belong to the blue and the gray, we are not patched," said one, as she arose from the table and put on her hat. "No," said the other, "we are ladies when we are dressed so." "That hat!" said Rodney. The other one put her hat behind her. "That one, too!" roared Rodney. "Look after your half-white brat," said they. "Look after your bare heads when Mrs. Rodman and her daughter return," said Rodney's mother. "Now," said one, "I believe what the fortune-teller said." "Tell it," said the other. "I lost some money." "Yes, you did," said the other. "I went to the fortune-teller." "I went with you." "She pointed out a half-white brat." "She then pointed out his mother." "She said we would all meet some day." "Now we have met." "What did she say about parched corn?" asked Rodney's mother. "She said a half-white brat stole the money." "She said he would die, too," joined in the other. "That's all plain enough," said Rodney's mother. "Your boy is dead, and you know about his father." "Now," said the one with the hat behind her, "I don't blame Uncle Jack for choking your brat." "Nor Aunt Sally for throwing hot soup on him," said the other. "Uncle Jack and Aunt Sally," said Rodney's mother, "will be important witnesses when Mrs. Rodman and her daughter return. They know all, and will tell more." One of the ladies picked up a glass. "How's your cat, my son?" "My cat's nice and good and sweet." Here both ladies spat into the glass. "Cats are respectable and worth talking about, my son." "This we leave with you," said the one with the hat behind her, as she set the glass upon the table. "What do you take with you?" asked Rodney's mother. Both looked around a second. "Corn in our stomachs," said they. "Are the ladies insulted, mother?" "They are dull and nasty, my boy." The ladies hurried out, one knocking over a chair, the other deliberately pulling down a picture. "Here, mother," said Rodney, bringing her a comb and brush, "tidy up my cat. Mary's coming with her doll." The mother combed and brushed the cat, while Rodney jumped on and off the table for joy. In the meantime Professor Brandon was conversing with the ladies on the outside. "Ladies! ladies!" said he. "Ha! ha!" was the response. "Let it flow right along," continued the professor. "We'll be generous enough," said they.