"Dar's quite some racket out dar in de lot tonight," she said;
Douglas did not answer. After a moment, she went on: "Hasty
didn't work on no walk to-day." Douglas looked at her
quizzically, while Hasty, convinced that for reasons of her own
she was going to get him into trouble, was making frantic
motions. "He done gone to de circus," she blurted out.
Douglas's face became suddenly grave. Mandy saw that she had
touched an open wound.
"I jes' couldn't stan' it, Massa John. I HAD to find out 'bout
dat angel chile." There was a pause. She felt that he was
waiting for her to go on.
"She didn't done ride to-day."
He looked up with the eyes of a dumb, persecuted animal. "And de
gemmen in de show didn't tell nobody why--jes' speaked about de
udder gal takin' her place."
"Why DIDN'T she ride?" cried Douglas, in an agony of suspense.
"Dat's what I don' know, sah." Mandy began to cry. It was the
first time in his experience that Douglas had ever known her to
give way to any such weakness. He walked up and down the room,
uncertain what to do.
Hasty came down from the window and tried to put one arm about
Mandy's shoulders.
"Leab me alone, you nigga!" she exclaimed, trying to cover her
tears with a show of anger that she did not feel; then she rushed
from the room, followed by Hasty.
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