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"She'll be all right I got her cleaned up and back to bed"

"And"

"Daddy's taken care of all the rest"

"Taken care?"

"The baby died right away, Mother," I said "It was premature Daddy took the baby and buried it someplace He said he doesn't want anyone to know"

"Buried?" she gasped and shook her head "God forgive us," she whispered

I thought she would fall forward to the floor, so I seized her by the elbow and tried to get her to lie back, but she shook her head

"I have to look in on her, Olivia"

She wobbled when she stood I put rew stronger as she walked and returned to Belinda's bedroom Belinda started to sob as Mother

approached her "I'm sorry, Mommy," she whimpered "I'm sorry" Mother sat on the bed and held her in her arms, and as Belinda cried, Mother rocked her

"Poor child," she said

"Poor child? She oughta be whipped," Isorry for her, too, even though I didn't want to give her an iota of sympathy

"There, there, dear It's all right It will be all right," Mother chanted

Finally, Belinda sucked back her sniffles and wiped her cheeks

"I know I should have told you, Mommy, but I just couldn't I was too ashamed and afraid," she explained