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 "E ain' my own," Seraphine declared over and over, and Keepsie echoed, "I know e ain' my own."

Finally Mary got tired of questioning them.

"Git on back to bed. I too vexed to fool wid yunnuh. To-morrow I'm gwine to get up an' lick all-two. I ain' gwine let you get away wid any such-a doins in my house. No. I'm gwine lick you haf to death. You wait!"

A good long sleep calmed Mary's anger, and the morning light showed that the girl-child was the prettiest one of the babies. Mary began feeling as proud of it as she was of her boys.

"I'd as soon take care of three as two. Gal-chillen ain' de trouble boy-chillen is, nohow."

Seraphine woke with a fearful toothache. Her throat was sore too, and Mary made her stay in the house while the ground was so wet.

When Doll came to inquire about Mary, Maum Hannah was sitting on the door-step in the sunshine smoking her pipe. She still had the white cloth on her head and the strange wooden beads around her neck that were the signs of her night's occupation.

"You look faded, Auntie," Doll said with sympathy.

"I is, gal. I is," Maum Hannah affirmed. "I been catchin chillen all night."