Miss Hallett's agitation increased. “Oh, no,” she cried, again. “Don't you see it mustn't happen, on father's account? You know how he—you know how excited and—and almost violent he gets when any one crosses him nowadays. I'm afraid something might happen to him. I'm afraid. Please go, Nelson, for my sake.”
The young man nodded. “Of course, Lulie,” he declared. “You're perfectly right. I'm off. Good-night.”
He was hastening toward the dining room door, but Primmie, dancing up and down like a jumping jack, barred his way.
“No, no, no,” she squealed, “you can't—you can't. They're almost to the door now. He'll catch you sure. He WILL. Oh, my Lord of Isrul!”
Sure enough, the latch of the door leading from the side porch to the dining room was rattling at that moment. Fortunately the door itself was hooked on the inside. Nelson hesitated.
“Humph!” he grunted. “Could I get through to the kitchen and out that way, do you think, Zach?”
“Godfreys, no! Not with them winder curtains strung up higher'n Haman the way they be. No, no! Godfreys!”
Martha stepped across the sitting room and flung open another door on the opposite side. As she did so there sounded a prodigious thumping from the side porch and the bull-like voice of Captain Hallett bellowed his daughter's name.
“Go let 'em in, Lulie,” whispered Martha. “I'll look out for things here. Quick, Nelson, out this way, through the front hall and out the front door. QUICK!”
Captain Jeth was accompanying his shouts by thumping upon the side of the house. Lulie, after one desperate glance at her lover, hurried to the dining room. Young Howard hesitated a moment.