The old man paused for a minute and looked around at the group at his bedside, all hanging spellbound upon his words.
“Mis’ ’Lizbeth,” he said dramatically, “little Missy Sylvia am Tad Phillips’ little girl!”
When the sensation caused by his surprising story had subsided, Hercules continued:
“He jest have ter see her before he go ’way, and he remember about de secrut passidge th’u de hill dat he and Marse Jasper uster play in. He come th’u in de night an get inter de house, but he cain’t find her. He see dere’s people sleepin’ in all de spare rooms dat uster be empty, and he cain’t go lookin’ round. He left dem footprints on de stairs, Mis’ ’Lizbeth; it ain’t blood; it’s paint. Dey’s a ole jar of paint down dere in de passidge, and he knocks it over and it breaks and he steps inter de paint.”
“But Hercules,” interrupted Sherry, “how did he get into the passage from the outside? The way is blocked.”
“Dere’s another way ter git out,” replied Hercules, “before you come to de doah down dere. I disremember jest how it is, but it comes up th’u de floah of dat little summerhouse down de hillside. De boys fixed it up after de other way was blocked.
“When I find Marse Tad out behind de barn he’s feelin’ sick, and I brought him in and put him in my bed.”
A light flashed through Nyoda’s mind. “Was that what you wanted the hot coffee for yesterday?” she asked.
“Yessum,” replied Hercules meekly. Then he continued:
“Marse Tad he wanter see little missy so bad I promise ter help him. When you-all gives me dat invite to de party and says I gotter wear a mask I fixes it up wif Marse Tad to put on de maskrade suit after I get it and go in and see little missy. While he’s inside I stays outside. Den all of a sudden out come Missy Camphor Girl and sees me and screeches dat she jest left me inside. I got so scairt I jest nat’chly collapsed. Dat’s all.”