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That evening's dusk had deepened into blue night when the two cousins, each with a scant, uneasy dinner eaten, randfather's place of residence, and, having climbed the back fence, approached the kitchen Suddenly Florence lifted her right hand, and took between thuer a lock of hair upon the back of Herbert's head

"Well, for Heavenses' sakes!" he burst out, justifiably protesting

"Hush!" Florence warned hiht be Aunt Julia! C'm'ere!"

She led him to a position beneath an openof the kitchen Here they sat upon the ground, with their backs against the stone foundation of the house, and listened to voices and the clink of dishes being washed

"She's got another ole coloured darky wos to her church and co her about it I bet we could get the real truth of it ht out Anyway, it isn't eavesdropping if you listen when people are talkin' about you, yourself It's only wrong when it isn't any of your own bus--"

"For Heavenses' sakes hush up!" her cousin remonstrated "Listen!"

"'No'm, Miss Julia, ma'am,' I say"--thus came the voice of Mrs Silver--"'no'm, Miss Julia, ma'am Them the same two cats you han' me, Miss Julia, ma'am,' I say 'Leas'wise,' I say, 'them the two same cats as in nat closed-up brown basket when I open it up an' take an' fix to wash 'eot to e happen to 'eray whut come off 'em whiles I washin' 'em an' dryin' 'ee 'ee or ain't change, that's fer you to say and e,' I say"

"Lan' o' htedly "I wonder how you done kep' you face, Miss Kitty What Miss Julia say?"

A loud, irresponsible outburst of ain control herself, she replied more definitely "Miss Julia say, she say she ain't never hear no sech outragelous sto'y in her life! She tuck on! Hallelujah! An' all tiive you my word, I stannin' there holdin' nat basket, carryin' on up hill an' down dale how them the sah dess ten'in' to that basket, lemme say to you, Miz Johnson, as anybody kin tell you whutever tried to take care o' two cats whut ain't yoosta each other in the same basket An' every blessed minute I stannin' there, can't I hear that ole Miz Blatch nex' do', out in her back yod an' her front yod, an' plum out in the street, hollerin': 'Kitty? Kitty? Kitty?' 'Yes!' Miss Julia say, she say, 'Fine sto'y!' she say 'Theot short hair, an' they ain't the sae an' they ain't even nowheres near the same size,' she say 'One of 'em's as fat as bofe theot one eye,' she say 'Well, Miss Julia, ; they come out white, all 'cept dess around that there skinnier one's eye,' I say: 'dess the saht about that much, ma'am!' I say"