"Goodness, I wonder what's the matter! He hasn't been gone an hour!"
Mama ran to open the door.
It was Papa, all right.
"Nannie! Nannie!" He started calling her before he even got off his horse. "What's wrong, Jodie?"
"He's dead! They just found him!"
"Who?"
"Ward! Ward Lawson's dead!"
"Oh, the Lawd have mercy!" Doanie screamed. She threw up her hands and ran for the back door.
"Doanie! Papa called her back.
Doanie let the door slam and came running back inside.