"Anybody hurt?" She was beginning to enjoy it all, feeling exhilarated over the drama of it.
"Mist' Joe—Mist' Joe Hoopah. He done fell offen de bridge into de ditch. Speck he done broke his laig."
She caught her breath.
"Dey done sen' me to git my cah. Said dey would lemme ketch up wid 'em. But Lawsy, de cah won' run."
"Was that him they were carrying past the house?" she managed to ask.
"Yas'm, I reckon. Dey aim to take him to Mis' Mosby's. Reckon I better hurry on."
She reached over and seized him by the coat. "Was he much hurt? Did he seem much hurt?"
"Well, yas'm. No'm. Leasewise, he say he ain'. But he cain't stan' up. Hit's his laig. Dey done pull him outen de ditch, wid it dubble unner him."
She let him go and listened to his retreating footsteps down the street into the darkness. She felt suddenly faint and weak. She walked back to the house, entered the sitting room, and lit a candle. Then she went to Miss Susie's door and opened it.
Miss Susie's eyes were looking calmly at her from the bed as she entered. "What's the matter?" said Miss Susie's voice.