Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 51: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

DARK O’ THE MOON. around him, cawing raucously. Lynnie passed through the kitchen, looking for Aunt Jury; and then she remembered that this was the evening of Mrs. Ricketts’ din- ner party, and that Aunt Jury would have gone over earlier than usual. She had start- ed back to the living room when something unconsciously arrested her steps. She went to the little room that Aunt Jury occupied. The old woman lay straight upon the - floor in an attitude of such mournful dig- nity that Lynnie could think of it as nothing less than death. Dr. SHEPARD and Lynnie worked over Aunt Jury. Soon she opened her eyes. She stirred painfully and groaned. “Oh, thank God!” cried Lynnie, “ Aunt Jury—tell me—what happened to you?” “Nuff,” Aunt Jury laconically respond- ed, and relapsed into half unconsciousness. They gave her brandy. And after a while she began mumbling. The doctor leaned over to listen. seems to be delirious.” ‘“ What dishere camp needs,” she was saying, ‘‘1s a Hangin’ Gyarden! An’ de fust one I want to see strung up is dishere presidum o’ de Daughters—” ‘““ Oh, doctor, she is not delirious!”” And Lynnie was swept by fearful forebodings. ‘“ Look here, what happened to you?” Dr. Shepard was addressing Aunt Jury. Aunt Jury looked up from her pillow with some interest. She was beginning to feel the effects of the brandy. “Well, suh,” she began, “ hit seems dark an’ foggy like. Hit don’t seem like hit could ’a’ happen; hit seems more like a skeery dream! But I was in heah a singin’ an’ a-praisin’ de Lawd, when I hears a knock ’pon de door. Den up steps dishere Miz Sanders which she is de head o’ a gang o’ ladies which dey calls deyselves de Daughters o’ de Desert.” Aunt jury paused, trying to think. “Well, suh, dey say dey come to warn my Miss Lynnie from gwine roun’ with Mr. Archer Mackenzie. An’ ’en I ups an’ says "at he de only quality in camp—an’ [| tells 7em bout us knowin’ his fambly.”’ *¢ She S41 Here she hesitated, not knowing how to go on. “ An’ den de boss lady, she say somepin ’bout you, honey.” Her faithful eyes looked into Lynnie’s. “ An’—an’—i say: ‘Woman, say yo’ prayers—kase I’m gwine bust you wide open! ” After a pause she looked up at them with a shamefaced smile. She spoke apologet- ically. ‘‘ But I reckon she busted me fust —an’ ’en trompled on me. Kase de fust news I knowed, you is heah, an’ Miss Lyn- nie is heah. An’ I got dishere pain in my head, an’ dishere swole eye.” She definitely turned her back to them. ‘“ An’ now I craves: sleep.” Soon she was snoring. ‘“‘ She has prescribed the best thing for herself,” Dr. Shepard told Lynnie. “ Doctor, will she die?”’ ‘““ My dear, she’s in no danger of dying. She’s had a shock—and her heart is not as strong as it once was. But all she needs is rest. She mustn’t be disturbed.” He followed Lynnie into the living room, and, when she was seated, took the chair facing her. ‘““ Now tell me what it’s all about and what it is that’s troubling you.” Lynnie told him of Mrs. Sanders’s visit, and of her excursion that day to Uncle Gummy’s cabin. And on her face was truth and honor for all men to read. Dr. Shepard was disturbed, but Lynnie could not share his perturbation. Now that she knew Aunt Jury was in no danger, she could think only in sick misery of Archer. The doctor’s ‘Why, I knew her in Nome,” failed to bring a smile. And this phrase, heard on every side, had hitherto always diverted her. Lynnie had suffered a hurt—-a hurt past all believing. It was intolerable in the little cabin after Dr. Shepard had gone. She went out and sat on the steps. She nursed her anger. “TI never see sich a kiss!’ Uncle Gum- my’s cackling words had branded them- selves into her brain. Her pride was out- raged, but that was nothing matched with the pain in her heart. She saw Mrs. Ricketts teetering toward her, the jet ornaments of her evening gown Striking together agitatedly. Why, ves, COME OOS. GO