wn de flowers, an' den she tuk up a book
where's layin' on de seat.

"'Dat's a good li'l' boy,' she say; 'now go 'n' hoe de weeds outen de
gyarden paff, same way Jonah's doin' 'fo' he went.'

"So I went back ter de paff by de lilies, an' start in ter wuk right
smart. But, co'se, eve'y li'l' w'ile I 'range ter git jes enough time
ter look at Mis' Simons, too, a-settin' in de arbor wid 'er book; an'
praesen'ly 'mence ter look like she's 'mos' forgotten where she's at,
she's a-readin' ser hard. Mus' 'a' been mo'n a hour sence Jonah went
'way, too, but she keep on a-readin', an' I keep on a-wukkin' on de
paff, jes wukkin' 'long same's befo', twell bime-by I'se jes 'blige
se' down an' res' a li'l' myself. But Mis' Simons she ain't look up
'tall. An' after I 'mence ter feel kine o' rested an' mo' like wuk,
w'y, co'se I got up an' start in hoein' ag'in, an' dere's Mis' Simons
still a-settin' dere readin' jes same's befo'! De sun's gittin' kine
o' low, too, an' look like she gwine git cotch in de dark ef she ain'
cyarful, so I drap my hoe in de grass an' step 'long up ter de li'l
arbor an' se' down on de step. Mis' Simons kine o' start-like w'en she
seen me, an' put down 'er book an' raise 'er han's up slow 'n'
sleepy-like to 'er eyes.

"'Wat time is it, 'Zekiel?' she say.

"De clock wuz strikin' six, time I drap my hoe down in de grass, so I
tole 'er 'bout it.

"'Six!' she say, a-jumpin' off 'er seat. 'Six er-clock! An' ain' Jonah
come? Ain't he come _yit_, 'Zekiel?'

"'No'm, he ain't,' I say, 'cuz he _ain't_, so w'at else _is_ it I kin
say? 'No'm, he _ain't_,' I say.

"'An' he's been gone long 'nough to've gone free times at leas'!' she
whisper un'er 'er bref. 'Oh, w'at is I done! Jonah, _Jonah_, w'y
_doan't_ yer come back!'

"'I reckon he'll be back right soon now,' I say, 'cuz cert'nly make me
feel bad ter see Mis' Simons look dat-a-way. 'Doan't yer reckon he
will?' I say.

"But she jes shuk 'er haid awful sad 'n' slow-like.

"'I'se 'fraid--I'se 'fraid sump'n's 'appen to 'im, 'Zekiel,' she
answer. 'I--I sent 'im de ve'y place--where it's awful trouble--gwine
on ter-day! I sent 'im, 'Zekiel, 'thout--'thout 'memberin' w'at I
knowed!'

"Well, I ain't r'ally know 'ow ter answer 'er dat time, so I jes didn'
make no 'sponse 'tall.

"'Come,' she say, 'we mus' go in de house, 'Zekiel; it's gittin'
dark.'

"It seem awful long after we's in de house, an' praesen'ly, it's sech
a warm evenin', Mis' Simons went out on