Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/178

 Maum Hannah's hands were so small, so somehow pitiful as they held fast to each other. Mary looked at them and gave in. Their simple clasping and unclasping made her humble and pitying. Maum Hannah wanted her to go to meeting. To pray. To be a Christian again. To join the church and be saved from sin. She'd have to seek. That meant praying night and day until Jesus sent her a sign that her sins were forgiven.

"Auntie" Mary hesitated. "Please, Auntie, le me wait a while. I ain' gwine dead, not soon. I don' want to pray, not yet. Please le me wait until Unex is bigger."

Maum Hannah turned away with a sigh and went to stand in the door. The stars were bright in the sky and a full moon hung right over the crape-myrtle tree. She stood looking up, and praying to God.

Maum Hannah had been praying for Mary to seek. In the sky a few stars glittered clear. Could God, so far away up there, hear what people down here said to Him?

"Honey," she began in a sorrowful voice. "Hell ain' no hole. E couldn' be a hole." Maum Hannah was usually cheerful, but to-night she sounded low-spirited, down-hearted. "Hell ain' no hole I tell you!" she repeated. "A hole would