was the weak answer, and again there was quiet, broken by the sizzle of hot fat, the tireless buzz of the flies, and now and then the little boy's cry. 

 "Here, Johnny," commanded the small maiden, "come have your face washed off."  Johnny objected. She picked him up with decision, and set him on the table with resounding emphasis, where he screamed loudly during the rite. 

 The door opened. A man in overalls came in.  "Hello, Paw," said Cecilia Evangeline Agnes Madden. He answered her with a grunt and kicked off his heavy shoes. 

 "Gawd, it's hot!" he said with his first contribution to the conversation.  "Two Dagos got sunstruck. One of 'em he just went like a goldfish outa water, keeled over, then flop,—flop. The Boss he up an'—" 

 "Supper, Paw," said Cecilia. She pushed a chair up to the oil-clothed table, and the man settled, beginning to eat loudly. He stopped and pointed with his knife to the bedroom door.  "How's she?" he asked in a grating whisper. 

 "She ain't so good," answered the small girl. Her eyes filled with tears and she turned away her face. 

 "Maw—Maw—Maw!" cried Johnny. 

 "Aw now!" said his sister while she picked up his hot little person to comfort him. 

 "Maw—Maw!" he echoed. 

 Cecilia looked up. Her eyes were like those of a small dog that has been whipped.  "I ain't the same," she said across his brick-dust curls. "He wants her, I ain't the same. I do my best, but I ain't her." 

 The man laid aside his knife. He set his teeth on his lower lip, and then he asked a question as if afraid to. 

 "Has the doctor been here?" 

 "Yes," answered Cecilia. 

 "Whatud he say?" 

 "He sez she wasn't so good. He sez she wouldn't be no better 'til the weather was cooler an'—" 

 "Celie!" came in the voice from the bedroom. Cecilia put down Johnny. 

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