“And she came back to do your chores,” she whimpered. “I’ll make it up to her, so she will know I didn’t mean it,” the little girl declared, and when Lily brought in the milk it was Berry who ran to meet her and declared:
“Oh, Lily! We couldn’t manage without you,” smiling up at the wistful-eyed negro girl, who beamed with happiness at the unexpected kindness.
“I jes’ follered yo’, Missie, ’cos I was feared fer yo’,” she whispered. “I didn’ mean no harm!”
Berry nodded. She did not want Lily to see her cry, and so she ran off to the sitting-room to tell her father the good news of Lily’s return.
As the days passed and no one appeared in pursuit of a runaway negro girl, the little household in the hillside cabin became sure that, at least for a time, Lily was safe, and Mrs. Arnold came to feel that Berry might be right in thinking that chance visitors to the cabin would believe Lily belonged there, and, as a week went by before Mr. Arnold could venture very far from the cabin, Lily became Berry’s companion when the little girl journeyed down to the mail-box on the Corinth road, and in her walks along the mountain paths. And as the two girls wandered about together Lily told her new friend something of her pitiful story.
“I reckons I had a mammy sometime, but I don’ ’member her. I was raised in Alabamy, Missie; an’ ev’buddy wus allers a-givin’ me a hit. Dey wus, show as yo’ lib! ’Twan’t de Massa and Missus, fer dey nebber seem ter see me; ’twere de niggers in de house dat batted me ’bout, an’ I jes’ made up ter run off. I hern de Yankee army wus a-comin’ right soon ter set all de slaves free. Am dat a fac’, Missie?” and the negro girl fixed her solemn eyes questioningly on the face of her little mistress.
Berry nodded. “My father says slavery must end,” she declared solemnly.
“I’se glad! I hopes ebery one ob dem high-handed niggers dat batted me ’bout’ll be set free an’ hab ter look arter theirselves. Dat’s wot I hopes. Wid no massa or missus ter feed an’ tak’ keer ob ’em!” said Lily, with a delighted chuckle, as if she felt that her wrongs would be punished by the freedom of her fellow-servants.
Berry looked at her in astonishment. “Didn’t you run away to be free, Lily?” she asked.
“Yas, Missie, course I did. Dose niggers ’bused me. I had ter run off ter get clear ob ’em.”