Charlotte led them at once into the unfinished front parlor, with its
boarded-up windows. Barney heard her open the front door to give them
light and air. He sat still and waited, breathing hard. A terrible
dread and curiosity came over him. It seemed as if his soul
overreached his body into that other room. Without overhearing a
word, suddenly a knowledge quite foreign to his own imagination
seemed to come to him.
Presently he heard the front door shut, then Charlotte came in alone.
She was very pale, but she had a sweet, exalted look as her eyes met
Barney's.
"Have they gone?" he asked, hoarsely.
Charlotte nodded.
"What--did they want?"
"Never mind," said Charlotte.
"I want to know."
"It is nothing for you to worry about."
"I know," said Barney.
"You didn't hear anything?" Charlotte cried out in a startled voice.
"No, I didn't hear, but I know. The church--don't--think you ought
to--stay here. They are--going to--take it--up. I never--thought of
that, Charlotte. I never thought of that."
"Don't you worry anything about it." Charlotte had never touched him,
except to minister to his illness, since she had been there. Now she
went close, and smoothed his hair with her tender hands. "Don't you
worry," she said again.
Barney looked up in her face. "Charlotte."
"What is it?"
"I--want you--to go--home.
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