s in the noise, she stopped
en--tirely screaming to the Black Woman and screamed to Carol instead.

While Carol walked beside the Noise, I saw the New Minister come down
the Road and go away. His face looked red.

Our Aunt Esta came running. She was very business-like. She snatched up
her wooden shoes and put them on! She crammed on the scraggly gray wig
and the humped-back cape!

"Foul Menial!" she called. "Come at once and resume the Game!"

The Black Woman stepped out of the bushes. She looked very much
surprised. But not half as surprised as our Aunt Esta.

Our Aunt Esta rubbed her eyes! She rubbed them again! And again! She
looked at the Black Woman's face. It was a _real_ black face. She looked
at the Black Woman's woolly hair.--It was _real_ woolly hair! Her jaw
dropped!

"Ruthy-the-Rabbit, hop here!" she gasped.

I hopped.

She put her lips close to my ear.

"Ruthy-the-Rabbit," she gasped. "Do I see what I think I see?"

"Yes, you do!" I said.

She put her head down in her hands! She began to laugh! And laugh! And
laugh! It was a queer laugh as though she couldn't stop! The tears ran
out between her fingers!

"Well--I certainly _am_ a Witch!" she laughed. Her shoulders shook like
sobs.

The Rich Man came running! He had his watch in his hand! He was all
clean and shining! He saw the Black Woman standing by the Witch's chair!
He saw the Witch in the chair! He thought the Witch was Posie! He
grabbed her right up in his arms and _hugged_ her!

"Though I'm late for a dozen Directors' Meetings," he cried, "it's worth
it, my Precious, to see you laugh!"

"I'm not your Precious!" cried our Aunt Esta. She bit! She tore! She
scratched! She shook her scraggly gray wig-curls all over her face! It
was like a mask! But all the time she kept right on laughing! She
couldn't seem to stop!

The Rich Man kissed her. And kissed her! Right through her scraggly gray
wig-curls he kissed her! He couldn't seem to stop!

"Now, at last, my Precious," he said. "We've learned how to live! We'll
play more! We'll laugh more!"

Our Aunt Esta tore off her wig! She tore off her hump! She shook her
fist at the Rich Man! But she couldn't stop laughing!

The Rich Man gave one awful gasp! He turned red! He turned white! He
looked at the wood-shed window to see if my Father had seen him.

My Father had seen him!

The Rich Man said things under his breath. That is, most of them were
under his breath. He stalked to his car.