At the same time the three old women, with Jake, and Flower's black cook, old Eloise Lu, stumbled into the room, crying:
"Foh de Lawd's sake, Miss Flower, honey, let us in hyah! De Day of Judgment sho has come!"
"Nonsense!" cried Carolina, with a sternness none of them had ever suspected her of possessing. "For shame, you Tempy and Rose Maud and Calla! Where is your new religion? Where is your understanding of the truth? Is God going to punish you for coming to Him as you just told me you had come? Oh, faithless disciples! Now see if I am afraid of a little thunder and lightning!"
They straightened up under her words, and, with rapidly clearing faces, they watched her go toward the open door. The rain was coming straight down with a terrific tropical downpour, and, as Carolina stepped suddenly to the open door, she saw the same figure she had seen before, in the act of leaving a little clump of pine-trees to come nearer to the cabin. The figure spied Carolina at the same time, and, lifting a hand, beckoned to the girl. Without a thought of fear, but with rather a wild questioning hope in her heart, Carolina, to the amazement of the cabin inmates, and later on no less to her own, stepped out into the pouring rain and ran toward the shelter of the trees.
They all crowded into the doorway to see her go, and, when they recognized the other figure, they were speechless with awe.
Miss Carolina had deliberately gone to meet the voodoo and lift the curse! Then she was indeed a chosen one of God!
CHAPTER XXII.
IN THE VOODOO'S CAVE
As Carolina felt the rain drenching her to the skin, the thought came to her, "This is the first time in all my life that I ever was thoroughly wet with rain, yet to how many of the less favoured ones of earth this must be no unusual occurrence. How sheltered my life has been!"
And the thought of God's protection went with her as she approached the motionless figure under the pines.