“What do you mean by that, Lucy?”
“Dis a way, honey; I yearns my own libin’, an’ has my own money, an’ w’en my work is done I kin go an’ comt putty much as I p’ease; but, Lor’, honey, dere ain’t no place to go an’ come to but streets an’ streets, an’ houses an’ houses; an’ I sort ob miss de fiel’s an’ de woods an’ de country all t’rough. Dat’s wot’s de matter ’long ob me.”
“I thought so. Well, at any time you please you may come to me at Goblin Hall, and I will give you employment about the house.”
“Oh, fanky, honey! An’ Tom, too?”
“And Tom, too.”
“Now, oh, Lor’! I’s got to yun down an’ ten’ to breakfas’. Sary Ann is down dere, for true, but she ain’t wuff much. Wot shill I sen’ yo’ up, young mist’ess, or would yo’ yudder come down to de yestyant, now dere ain’t hardly anybody dere, ’specially at dis airly hour ob de mornin’? Airly fo’ de city, min’ yo’, young mist’ess. ’Twould be ’sidered moughty late fo’ de country.”
“I will go down, Lucy.”
“Den I will try to see yo’ ag’in, if it’s only frough de do’. Fank de Lor’ as de kitchen is jus’ ’hind de yestyant!” said the cook, as with a half suppressed sob she left the room.
“Here, Tom!” exclaimed Roma, as the boy was about to follow. “Take all these things down to the hall. I shall not return to this room after leaving it.”
And she gave her traveling bag, umbrella and shawls to the boy, who, with a half smothered howl, took them and went out.