"Ad," and the eyes which shone so softly on poor Adah flashed with
gleams of fire as Hugh said to his sister, "not another word against
that girl if you wish to remain here longer. She has been unfortunate."
"I guessed as much," sneeringly interrupted 'Lina.
"Silence!" and Hugh's foot came down as it sometimes did when chiding a
refractory negro. "She is as true, yes, truer, than you. He who should
have protected her has basely deserted her. There is a reason which I do
not care to explain, why I should care for her and I shall do it. See
that a fire is kindled in the west chamber, and go up yourself when it
is made and see that all is comfortable. Do you understand?" and he
gazed sternly at 'Lina, who was too much astonished to answer, even if
she had been so disposed.
Quick as thought, 'Lina darted up a back stairway, and when, half an
hour later, Hugh, hearing mysterious sounds above, and suspecting
something wrong, went up to reconnoiter, he found Hannah industriously
pulling the tacks from the carpet, preparatory to taking it up. In
thunder tones, he demanded what she was doing, and with a start, which
made her drop tacks, hammer, saucer and all, Hannah replied: "Lor', Mas'r Hugh, how you skeered me! Miss 'Lina done order me to take
up de carpet, 'case it's ole miss's, and she won't have no low-lived
truck tramplin' over it. That's what Miss 'Lina say," and Hannah tossed
her head quite conceitedly.
"Miss 'Lina be hanged," was Hugh's savage response; "and you, woman, do
you hear?--drive those nails back faster than you took them out."
"Yes, mas'r," and Hannah hastened down. Whispering to her mistress,
Hannah told what Hugh had said, and instantly there came over Mrs.
Worthington's face a look of concern, as if she, too, objected to having
the stranger occupy a room wherein an ex-governor had slept, but Hugh's
wish was law to her, and she answered that all was ready. A moment
after, Hugh appeared, and taking Adah in his arms, carried her to the
upper chamber, where the fire was burning brightly, casting cheerful
shadows upon the wall, and making Adah smile gratefully, as she looked
up in his face, and murmured: "God bless you, Mr. Worthington! Adah will pray for you to-night, when
she is alone. It's all that she can do."
They laid her upon the bed, Hugh himself arranging her pillows, which no
one else appeared inclined to touch.
Family opinion was against her, innocent and beautiful as she looked
lying there--so helpless, so still, with her long-fringed lashes shading
her colorless cheek, and her little hands folded upon her bosom, as if
already she were breathing the promised prayer for Hugh. Only in Mrs.
Worthington's heart was there a chord of sympathy. She couldn't help
feeling for the desolate stranger; and when, at her own request, Hannah
placed Willie in her lap, ere laying him by his mother, she gave him an
involuntary hug, and touched her lips to his fat, round cheek.