Pina pitied him.
“No, mammy, it aint killed her—she aint dead; ’deed she aint, mammy. She’s only in one of her fainty fits. She’s subject to ’em, mammy,” said the girl.
“You hold your tongue, gal. What do you know? Come here and help me to rub her hands. And Mr. Leo, you go ’bout your business. What call you go to be poking ’round where there’s a lady sick? And you, sir,” said mammy, turning to the unhappy Dick, “now you’s done all the harm you can do, you go ’way too.”
Dick turned a long, lingering look to the inanimate form on the sofa, and then reluctantly followed his companion in banishment from the room.
When they reached the hall, Leo politely opened the front door for the exit of the visitor.
But Dick loitered.
“Come here, boy,” he said, beckoning Leo close to his side. “Is your mistress realty subject to these swooning fits?”
“Yes sir; and so has been ever since master took to his ways,” answered the boy, sulkily, because for the time being he hated all mankind, and, most of all, his master, for his mistress’s sake.
“What ways?” asked Dick.
“Gentlemen’s ways, sir,” growled Leo.