"He is here, madam."
There appeared Joseph Lascaud, then some men bearing Something.
Louisette put her hands up to her eyes to hide the sight, but Ma'am
Mouton was rigid.
"It was too cold for him," Joseph was saying to almost deaf ears, "and
he took the consumption. He thought he could get well when he come
home. He talk all the way down about the bayou, and about you and
Louisette. Just three hours ago he had a bad hemorrhage, and he died
from weakness. Just three hours ago. He said he wanted to get home
and give Louisette her diamond ring, when the bayou overflowed."