He had known that Laurie Meredith and Flower Fielding were lovers, and
he had guessed that Jewel was jealous, when she bribed him so heavily
to give her that important letter and to take back the answer she
sent. In his eagerness to possess himself of her costly bribe he had
not counted the cost of his treachery to the lovers. Now he began to
experience a sneaking consciousness that his guilt had somehow helped
to pave the way to that trouble in yonder.
He wondered what had become of Laurie Meredith, that his pretty
sweetheart had been forced to seek refuge in a deserted negro cabin
in her sore distress and trouble, and so wondering, he fell asleep in
his chair, and remained there until morning, snoring profoundly, and
oblivious to everything.
* * * * *
When he opened his eyes again the broad sunlight of new day was shining
in through the open door, and the song of birds was in the air.
Poky's trunk had come up, and she was down on her knees unpacking it,
and softly humming a revival song.
Sam's neck, which had been hanging over on his breast, felt as if it
was half broken. He straightened up and gaped so loudly that his wife
turned around and began to rate him soundly for sleeping in his chair
all night, declaring that she had nearly shaken him to pieces without
being able to rouse him, so had retired, leaving him to the enjoyment
of his arm-chair.
Sam did not doubt the assertion, knowing himself to be a very heavy
sleeper. He sat still a little while collecting his wits, and then said:
"Yes, I remember it all now, Poky. I fell to sleep while you was in de
comp'ny with Miss Flower an' de baby."
"Wha-at?" Poky exclaimed, and he repeated his words, only to be laughed
at by his wife, who declared that he must have been dreaming, as she
did not know what he meant in the least.
In vain did Sam go over the startling events of last night to his
laughing wife. She admitted the cats in the company room, but the rest
of the story she laughed to scorn.
"You fell asleep, you foolish nigger, while I was scatterin' dem
tom-cats off dat shed, and you dreamed all de rest," she said; and to
satisfy his doubts she made him go into the spare room, which he found
neat and tidy, as in Maria's time, the white bed smooth and unrumpled,
the two cane-seated chairs standing rigidly against the wall, the
small looking-glass on the white-draped toilet-table reflecting his
crest-fallen face only, as Poky, standing at the open door, said,
jibingly:
"I hope you'se satisfied now! You don't see any babies nor flowers in
dere, does you?"
The puzzled dreamer shuffled out with rather a sheepish air, and while
he did justice to his morning repast, had to endure a running fire
of commentaries on his dream that drove him at last quite out of the
house, to escape being the butt of Poky's merry malice.
Presently, while he was sulkily smoking his pipe in the front yard, she
came out to him in her check apron, with her sleeves rolled up, and
carrying the broom in her brown, shapely hand. With rather a sober air,
she said:
"I declare, Sam, I was so tickled at yer foolish dream that I forgot to
tell yer what the man said as brought my trunk this mornin'."
"Well?" inquired her sulky spouse.
"Why, it 'pears like a young lady 'bout dis neighborhood drowndid
herself las' night."
"Sho!" exclaimed Sam, wonderingly.
"Yes, siree--drowndid herself on account of trubble an' sickness. What
made it all de worse was dat she was de beautifulest gal in de country,
and had a twin sister ekally beautiful, and dat pore thing is 'most
crazy 'bout it all," explained Poky, while Sam eagerly demanded names.
"Sho! I has such a pore mem'ry fer names," Poky began, reflectively;
then she stuttered: "Ju--Ju--Jule--"
"Jewel and Flower!" shouted Sam, and her eyes beamed with delight.
"Dat's dem! and 'twas de las' one--dat Flower--dat got up outen her
sick-bed and runned away las' night, and Jule she said shorely she done
drowndid herself, 'cause how she done said she would do it de first
chance, and she was so weak she couldn't a' walked no furder than down
to de sea-shore."
"Golly! I mus' go up to de big house and hear 'bout it," Sam exclaimed,
darting toward the gate, while Poky called after him, jibingly:
"Sam, don't go and tell anybody 'bout yer foolish dreams las' night."