And then she went footing it up the street. There was a black plume on her bonnet, nodding the same as on a hearse, and she was into and out of seven front yards in less than five minutes.
Mis' Alexander she ran across the road to where we were, and kneeled down and put her arm around Elmira, who was still rocking back and forth in the path, and she said:
“How do you know he's dead, Elmira? I saw him not more than an hour ago.”
“Danny saw it all,” says Elmira.
Mis' Alexander turned to me and wanted to know what happened and how it happened and where it happened. But I didn't want to say anything about that cistern. So I busted out crying all over again and I said: “He was drunk and he came home drunk and he did it then, and that's how he did it.”
“And you saw him?” she asked.
I nodded.
“Where is he?” says she and Elmira, both together.
But I was scared to say anything about that cistern, so I just bawled some more.
“Was it in the blacksmith shop?” asks Mis' Alexander.