"Lawsie, Massa doctah, yer ain't a gwine ter leab me heah, is yer?" queried Aunt Fanny fearfully.
"Why, there is nothing to hurt you. Come on, Joel."
Dr. Raymond leaped through the window, followed by Joel, while Uncle Billy left for the stable. Aunt Fanny, left alone, began to soliloquize audibly:
"Hant, eh? I spec' hit's a hant. Dis house dun bin shet up too long fer it not to be a hant. Dis heah chile ain't a gwine ter stay in no house wid a hant. No, sah; she a gwine ter leab shore yer bo'n. She—"
"Aunt Fanny," spoke Bee in muffled tones.
"Good Lawd," cried Aunt Fanny, starting up. "Hit's the hant. Lawd, Lawd, spar dis niggah! You doesn't want no ole worman like me. You—"
"Hush, Aunt Fanny! It's only Bee. Don't you know me?"
Beatrice crept out of her hiding place and arose to her feet. Aunt Fanny gave a suppressed cry and sank back in her chair, staring at the girl in open-eyed wonder.
"You, you ain't no Miss Bee," she gasped.
"Yes, I am. I just had my hair fixed at the hairdresser's this afternoon, and I have on that jimpson poultice you told me about. I came down stairs to get a book and frightened the robbers away. I want to go upstairs now before father comes back so he won't see me."