"But they must be damp and musty."
"Bill says 'twas de rhumatiz," put in his mother.
"And take what you need right away out of the pantry."
"Miss Frances, if yuh'll jes' go into town an' buy me some things, Ise got plenty o' money, Marse Robert so good to me, an' he pays me my wages steady; Ise jis' been savin' 'em up. Here's ten dollars now." She felt in the folds of her turban and brought out the bill.
Frances' hands were full for many days; she had to take the old woman and Bill out to the cabin, to help straighten it, and air it, and stock it with provisions, to go out day by day at first, and then whenever she could; and to straighten out household affairs with Roxie at the helm.
"How dat Roxie doing?" asked Susan anxiously on one of Frances' visits.
Frances hesitated. "Fairly well!" she answered doubtfully.
"H'm! Ise glad I taught yuh to cook."
"So am I!" declared Frances devoutly, remembering some of her late experiences.