Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/286

 "Shut you mout', Si May-e, don' gi' me none o you' slack talk! No! Whose baby is dis? Whose?"

"I declare to Gawd, Auntie, e ain' my own. I wouldn' be shame to own em, if e was. Jedus, no! Three ain' no worse dan two. E's a fine child, Auntie. Better put em close to my own an' get em warm.—Git someting to wrop em up in."

Mary lay back down, and Maum Hannah covered her up with the three babies! Mary never had seen three babies but once before, and one of those was a little runty thing. All three of these were fine big children.

"Auntie, go in de shed room an' see if Seraphine is wake," Mary whispered.

"Lawd—I been forgot 'bout em," Maum Hannah said with a wise smile.

She opened the shed-room door. It was too dark to see much, but she called, "Is yunnuh all sleep in here?"

There was no answer.

"Wake em up," Mary said.

"You Ma say you must wake up, Seraphine," Maum Hannah called, but nobody stirred or answered.

Everybody was sound asleep, Seraphine and all of the rest.