I demanded of Margaret _what_ she had been
saying? The women both started, with expressions of surprise,
alarm, and tender affection, raised by my ghostly looks, and
begged me to get back into bed again. I stood fast, bearing on
Theresa's shoulder.
"What was it?" I asked.
" 'Twarn't nothin', Miss Daisy, dear!" said the girl.
"Hush! Don't tell me that," I said. "Tell me what it was —
tell me what it was. Nobody shall know; you need not be
afraid; nobody shall know." For I saw a cloud of hesitation in
Margaret's face.
" 'Twarn't nothin', Miss Daisy — only about Darry."
"What about Darry?" I said, trembling.
"He done went and had a praise-meetin'," said Theresa; "and he
knowed it war agin the rules; he knowed that. 'Course he did.
Rules mus' be kep'."
"Whose rules?" I asked.
"Laws, honey, 'taint 'cording to rules for we coloured folks
to hold meetin's no how. 'Course, we's ought to 'bey de rules;
dat's clar."
"Who made the rules?"
"Who make 'em? Mass' Ed'ards — he make de rules on dis
plantation.
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