A curious restraint fell on them, and for the first time Annie felt herself an alien, a stranger, far adrift from familiar shores. She shivered in the light wind. "You cold? You better go in the house and get something round you," Wes said to her. "I guess I'd better." And she left him hammering. In the house she found Aunt Dolcey in the big bedroom over the living room. She had just finished remaking the bed--an old maple four-poster, the wood a soft and mellowed orange, fine and colourful against the white quilt, the lace-edged pillow slips. "I put on clean sheets," said Aunt Dolcey as Annie hesitated on the threshold. "Yes'm, I put on everything clean, an' the bes'. I know what's fitten. My chile, dish yer de third bridal bed I made up for wives of de Dean men." Something caught in Annie's throat, terrified her. This old black woman, with her remoteness, her pitying wise eyes, what did she mean? Annie wanted terribly to ask her. But how begin? How get through this wall of inscrutability which the black and yellow races have raised for their protection? She fluttered nearer to the old woman. "Look," she began tremulously--"look--it's all right, isn't it, my marrying him so quick? I haven't got any folks, and--and I suppose I haven't got much sense; but there was something about him that just made me trust him and--and want him. But it was all so quick, and--now I'm here it seems like maybe--there was--something----Oh, you'd tell me, wouldn't you? It is all right, isn't it?" The old woman considered. "It's all right ef you're all right," she pronounced at length. "But--but what do you mean? And--and look here--Aunt Dolcey--tell me--what'd he do to that dog he had?" "What you know 'bout any dog?" "I don't know--anything; but when I asked him why he didn't have a dog--he was queer. It scared me." "Doan be skeered. They ain' nuffin' to be skeered of 'bout Marse Wes. Eve'ything all right ef you got patience, an' ef you got sense, an' ef you got haht enough. Sperrit an' sense go far, but the haht gwine carry you froo. Now I said my say"--her tone mellowed into unctuous kindness--"what you want, Missy? Som'n Aun' Dolcey c'n fotch you? Temme what it is, f'r I got to be up an' erbout my wuk. I got er weddin' cake to mek yit this ebenin'. Yes, ma'am--I gwi' mek you weddin' cake fill de bigges' pan in de kitchen." She helped Annie rummage in her trunk and get out the sweater she had come in for, and it was not until the girl was running back to the barns that she realized Aunt Dolcey had not answered her question. But the old woman's words had steadied her, reassured her. And Wes received her gayly. His repairs were done, his team in harness, ready to start.