It was an odd thing that the sight of her unfamiliar face should have been a shock to Louisiana; but it was a shock. She put her hand to her side.
"Where is my—where is Mr. Rogers?" she asked. "I want to see him."
"Out on de back po'ch, honey, right now. Dar he goes!"
The girl heard him, and flew out to meet him. Her heart was throbbing hard, and she was drawing quick, short breaths.
"Father!" she cried. "Father! Don't go in the house!"
And she caught him by both shoulders and drew him round. He did not know her at first in her fanciful-simple dress and her Gainsborough hat. He was not used to that style of thing, believing that it belonged rather to the world of pictures. He stared at her. Then he broke out with an exclamation,
"Lo-rd! Louisianny!"
She kept her eyes on his face. They were feverishly bright, and her cheeks were hot. She laughed hysterically.
"Don't speak loud," she said. "There are some strange people in the house, and—and I want to tell you something."
He was a slow man, and it took him some time to grasp the fact that she was really before him in the flesh. He said, again: