“And niggers?”
“Every skin o’ them; the sheriff will take possession to-morrow.”
A murmur of astonishment reached my ears. It was mingled with expressions of disapprobation or sympathy.
“Poor girl! it’s a pity o’ her!”
“Well, it’s no wonder. She made the money fly since the old ’un died.”
“Some say he didn’t leave so much after all. ’Twar most part mortgaged before—”
The entrance of the doctor interrupted this conversation, and relieved me for the moment from the torture which it was inflicting upon me.
“A friend in the swamp, did you say?” again interrogated Reigart.
I had hesitated to reply, thinking of the crowd by the door. I said to the doctor in a low earnest voice—
“My dear friend, I have met with an adventure; am badly scratched, as you see. Dress my wounds, but do not press me for details. I have my reasons for being silent. You will one day learn all, but not now. Therefore—”