CHAPTER XIV.
THE REAL MARY.
"Please tell Uncle to come up again just for a minute, Liza. Don't let him go back to the office until——"
"Why, Miss May-ree, I done t'ought Massa Frank wah up heah wif yo' all dis time. His lunch am gittin' cold, sottin' dah on de table, an' ole Susie am on de rampage, sho' nuff. She jes' done tol' dis yeah chile dat she am plumb tiahed out cookin' fo' a gemplum what doan' eat nuffin but coffee, coffee, coffee, ebery single meal. It's 'bout time yo' put a stop to dat, Miss May-ree. Yo' is de only one dat kin. Yo' ma nebah 'lowed Massa Frank to drink coffee dat-a-way, no-how."
"But—but, Liza,—Uncle was here for just a little minute, and—and you don't mean that he hasn't eaten his luncheon yet? He will never have time to do it now. Please see if he is in his room."
"No, Mary, your uncle went down stairs when he left you. I heard the front door close a few moments later, so I fear that he has gone."
"Laws a massy! Dis yeah chile bettah keep out'n dat kitchen fo' de res' ob dis aftahnoon, sho's yo' born!"
"O Liza, Liza! look everywhere downstairs to see if Uncle isn't there, please! What shall I do if he has gone—gone without a bite to eat!"
"But dat's persackly what he's done did, Miss May-ree, kase I'se looked fo' him ebery place; an' dat's what he's been adoin' ebery day, honey; and dat's what fo' ole Susie am so mad; an' dat's what fo' I done said yo's de only one what kin put a stop to it. But dah, honey, doan' yo' fret yo' poah li'l haid 'bout it no-how. Dis crazy niggah ain't got no right to tell yo' nuffin 'bout it."