Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/158

 be company for you. July won' mind him, I know, as cripple as po Budda is. You wouldn' feel so awful lonesome wid somebody to call on if you git nervish in de night."

Mary said she had no extra bed, but Maum Hannah declared that would not matter to Budda. Mary could make him a pallet out of some quilts right down on the floor and Budda would sleep as sweet on them as he could on a feather-bed. Budda would do anything for Mary, and the poor creature had little chance to do much outside of cutting wood.

She waited until Mary had unlatched the door, and, after laying Unex on the bed, had blown the half-dead coals into a blaze for light. Then she called, "Good night, Si May-e, God bless you," and limped away. Mary fixed the pallet and sat waiting on the door-step for Budda Ben. The night became still, the dark fields spread out in front were silent. Cabins far across them showed bright spots of firelight where doors flung wide open to let out the heat matched in size a great star shining toward sunset side. But they were dark red while the star in the sky shone clear blue.

"Si May-e" a deep voice called her. Her heart leaped into her throat, it sounded so much like July. "Dis is me, June. If you needs any-