I sat
on the side, and in the middle of the bed, in despair--longing for
something to smoke!
"The hours dragged slowly by, and yet Lola, Lola the mysterious, upon
whose decision so much depended, came not.
"'Something must be done, and quickly,' thought I, and I started to get
up. But hark! I heard some one in the hall softly slip a key in the lock
of my door, and turn it with a creaking sound. The next moment a very
odd figure came into the room. 'Twas a little old woman, and as she
glided toward me I sank back on the couch quivering with terror! On, on,
she came, and lightly touched my forehead.
"My first impulse was to shriek with affright; the impulse was all
right, but I just couldn't do it. I must have been paralyzed. I blew
first hot and then cold, and then stopped blowing altogether.
"So there I lay, stark with fear. But my visitor seemed to be very
harmless. She drew up a chair by the side of the bed and took her seat,
muttering something I couldn't catch. Then she bent over me and I felt
her warm breath on my cheek!...
"The situation had changed but slightly when I came to a little later.
She was talking.
"'Marse Edwin, Marse Edwin, don't yer know yer ole black mammy?
Hush-sh-sh, chile, doan' answer me, 'cept in a whisper! I'se done come
fer to save yer! I nussed yer when yer was a little baby, and I promised
ole Missus always to look arter yer.
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