"Ya.s.sah. Des tell me what ye wants me ter say, sah, an" I sho say hit!"
"Bah! You miserable liar!" Norton cried in disgust, hurling him to the floor, and striding angrily from the room. "You"re all in this thing, all of you! You"re all in it--all in it!"
Andy scrambled to his feet and rushed to the window in time to see him hurry down the steps and disappear in the shadows of the lawn. He stood watching with open mouth and staring eyes:
"Well, "fore de Lawd, ef he ain"t done gone plum crazy!"
CHAPTER XXVI
BETWEEN TWO FIRES
So intent was Andy"s watch on the lawn, so rapt his wonder and terror at the sudden a.s.sault, he failed to hear Cleo"s step as she entered the room, walked to his side and laid her hand on his shoulder:
"Andy----"
With a loud groan he dropped to his knees:
"De Lawd save me!"
Cleo drew back with amazement at the prostrate figure:
"What on earth"s the matter?"
"Oh--oh, Lawd," he shivered, scrambling to his feet and mopping his brow.
"Lordy, I thought de major got me dat time sho!"
"You thought the major had you?" Cleo cried incredulously.
Andy ran back to the window and looked out again:
"Ya.s.sam--ya.s.sam! De major try ter kill me--he"s er regular maniacker--gone wild----"
"What about?"
The black hands went to his throat:
"Bout my windpipes, "pears like!"
"What did he do?"
"Got me in de _gills_!"
"Why?"
"Dunno," was the whispered answer as he peered out the window. "He asked me if Mr. Tom been back here in de past fo" weeks----"
"Asked if Tom had been back here?"
"Ya.s.sam!"
"What a fool question, when he"s had the boy with him every day! He must have gone crazy."
"Ya.s.sam!" Andy agreed with unction as he turned back into the room and threw both hands high above his head in wild gestures. "He say we wuz all in it! Dat what he say--we wuz all in it! _All_ in it!"
"In what?"
"Gawd knows!" he cried, as his hands again went to his neck to feel if anything were broken, "Gawd knows, but he sho wuz gittin" inside er me!"
Cleo spoke with stern appeal:
"Well, you"re a man; you"ll know how to defend yourself next time, won"t you?"
"Ya.s.sam!--yas, m"am!" Andy answered boldly. "Oh, I fit "im! Don"t you think I didn"t fight him! I fit des lak er wild-cat--ya.s.sam!"
The woman"s eyes narrowed and her voice purred:
"You"re going to stand by me now?"
"Dat I is!" was the brave response.
"You"ll do anything for me?"
"Ya.s.sam!"
"Defend me with your life if the major attacks me to-night?"
"Dat I will!"
Cleo leaned close:
"You"ll die for me?"
"Ya.s.sam! ya.s.sam--I"ll _die_ fer you--I"ll die fer ye; of cose I"ll _die_ for ye! B-b-but fer Gawd"s sake what ye want wid er dead n.i.g.g.e.r?"
Andy leaped back in terror as Norton"s tall figure suddenly appeared in the door, his rumpled iron-gray hair gleaming in the shadows, his eyes flashing with an unnatural light. He quickly crossed the room and lifted his index finger toward Cleo:
"Just a word with you----"
The woman"s hands met nervously, and she glanced at Andy:
"Very well, but I want a witness. Andy can stay."
Norton merely glanced at the negro:
"Get out!"