He was growing excited, and thinking he had talked too much, Alice was trying to quiet him, when the door opened softly and Adah herself came in. Bowing politely to Alice she advanced to Hugh’s bedside, and bending over him spoke his name. He knew her, and turning to Alice, said, “This is Adah; you will like each other; I am sure.”
And they did like each other at once, Alice recognizing readily a refinement of feeling and manner, which showed that however unfortunate Adah might have been, she was still the true-born lady, while Adah felt intuitively that in Alice she had found a friend in whom she could trust. For a few moments they talked together, and then in the hall without there was a shuffling sound and Adah knew that Sam was coming. With hobbling steps the old man came in, scarcely noticing either of the ladies so intent was he upon the figure lying so still and helpless, before him.
“Massah Hugh, my poor, dear Massah Hugh,” he cried, bending over his young master.
“You may disturb him,” Adah said, putting from her lap little Willie, who had come in with Sam, and at whom Alice had looked with wonder, marvelling at the striking resemblance between him and Hugh.
“Could it be?” and Alice grew dizzy with that dreadful thought. “Could it be? No, no, oh, no. Adah was too pure, too good, while Hugh was too honorable,” and Alice felt a pang at this injustice to both.
Taking the child in her lap while Adah spoke with Sam she smoothed his soft, brown hair, and scanned his infantile features closely, tracing now another look than Hugh’s, a look which made her start as if smitten suddenly. The eyes, the brow, the hair were Hugh’s, but for the rest; the dedicate mouth, with its dimpled corners, the curve of the lip, the nose, the whole lower part of the face was like, oh, so like, sweet Anna Richards, and she was like her brother. Alice had heard from ’Lina that Adah professed to have had a husband who deserted her and as she held Willie in her lap, there were all sorts of fancies in her bewildered brain nor was it until a loud outcry from Sam, fell on her ear that she roused herself from the castle she was building as to what might be if Willie were indeed of the Richard’s line. Sam had turned away from Hugh, and with his usual politeness was about making his obeisance to Alice, when the words, “Your servant, Miss,” were changed into a howl of joy, and falling upon his knees, he clutched at Alice’s dress, exclaiming,
“Now de Lord be praised, I’se found her again. I’se found Miss Ellis, an’ I feels like singin’ ‘Glory Hallelujah.’ Does ye know me, lady? Does you ’member shaky ole darkey, way down in Virginny? You teach him de way, an’ he’s tried to walk dar ever sence. Say, does you know ole Sam?” and the dim eyes looked eagerly into Alice’s face.
She did remember him, and for a moment seemed speechless with surprise, then, stooping beside him, she took his shrivelled hand and pressed it between her own, asking how he came there, and if Hugh had always been his master.
“You ’splain, Miss Adah. You speaks de dictionary better than Sam,” the old man said, and thus appealed to, Adah told what she knew of Sam’s coming into Hugh’s possession.
“He buy me just for kindness, nothing else, for Sam aint wo’th a dime, but Massa Hugh so good. I prays for him every night, and I asks God to bring you and him together. Oh, I’se happy chile to-night. I prays wid a big heart, ’case I sees Miss Ellis again,” and in his great joy Sam kissed the hem of Alice’s dress, crouching at her feet and regarding her with a look almost idolatrous.