Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/41

 Hannah said the word, as if she could get no further. It fell so sorrowfully, with such pity, that Mary hung her head low.

"May-e, you an' July is been a-havin sin, enty?"

Mary wanted to deny it, but to save her life her lips could not raise a sound. She could not even say, "Yes."

"Enty?" Maum Hannah asked again, softly, gently. "I raised you to know right from wrong, enty? An' you went an' let July make you have sin?" Maum Hannah sighed deep. "Lawd, dat July is a case. A heavy case in dis world."

Mary wanted to say that July was not all to blame, but her breath fluttered and spilled the words.

"I see now why Satan sent dat rat to gnaw a hole in you weddin-cake. Satan knowed you b'longed to him an' not to Jedus. Oh, honey, I'm dat sorry, I could cry. What you done pure cuts my heart-strings. I wouldn' a thought you had de heart to fool me so. No."

"Wha dat I done so awful bad, Auntie? Me an' July is gwine marry to-day." She tried to speak calmly, but her throat went dry and the words fell into a husky whisper.

Maum Hannah shook her head gloomily. "Don' ax me, gal. Looka you bosom, a-struttin,