“Never mind the light.” Hetty said it patiently. “Tell me how you happened to climb the tree.”
“Now, Mr. Gilchris’—the young gentleman—he spoke very civil an’ kind to me, an’ we war talkin’ quite a spell, when I heerd Mr. Wayt a-comin’, an’ I clumb the tree so’s he wouldn’t see me, an’ may be go fur me, you know. An’ while I war in the tree I heerd him a-tellin’ Mr. Gilchris’—I meantersay the young Mr. Gilchris’—how he’d sot up ’tell daybreak, four o’clock Sat’day night, a figurin’ onto his sermon what he preached on Sunday——”
“Homer!”
“Yes, ma’am! He war talkin’ very high Scotch, mos’ly like he does all times, ’specially to comp’ny-folks, but I got the sense of that much. He said as how he an’ the thunder-storm they figured up the sermon together, near’s I could make out. An’ Mr. Gilchris’—the young gentleman—he said precious little—an’ Mr. Wayt, he splurged out considerable ’bout seein’ the sun rise an’ so forth, an’ ’bout his headache comin’ on an’ a-goin off with the sun. An’ then the two of ’em walked off quite frien’ly, an’ soon’s as they was out o’ sight, I lighted out and come home.”
Hetty was sitting upon the sofa, too sick and weak to stand.
“Are you sure that you heard all this? Did Mr. Gilchrist know you were in the tree?”
“Now—he see me go up. I ast him not to let on to him. But what I come to say war, ’taint noways nor nurver safe to say what aint jes’ true, jes’ for the sake of talkin’ big, an’ Mr. Wayt, bein’ a edicated man, he’d ought to be tole that. T’ould ’a’ been better not to say nuthin’ ’bout Sat’day night ’thout somebody ast h’m.”
“There!” His young mistress put out her hand imperatively. “That will do. Don’t speak of this to anybody else. Go back to your work.”
On their way to school, the twins left a thin envelope at Judge Gilchrist’s door. It was addressed to March.
“I have heard what was the substance of Mr. Wayt’s conversation with you last night. Knowing you as I do, I am sure, that in mercy to the innocent, you will not let it go further. I recognize in the incident one more added to the many reasons why I can never be more than