"No; what should make you think so?"
"Your face be all cut--you've been fightin'!"
"And supposing I have--that is none of George's doing; he and I
are very good friends--why should we quarrel?"
"Then--then it weren't Jarge?"
"No--I have not seen him since Saturday."
"Thank God!" she exclaimed, pressing her hand to her bosom as if
to stay its heaving. "But you must go," she went on breathlessly.
"Oh, Mr. Peter! I've been so fearful for 'ee, and--and--you might
meet each other any time, so--so you must go away."
"Prudence," said I, "Prudence, what do you mean?"
For answer, she held out the crumpled paper, and, scrawled in
great, straggling characters, I read these words: "PRUDENCE,--I'm going away, I shall kill him else, but I shall
come back. Tell him not to cross my path, or God help him,
and you, and me. GEORGE."
"What does it all mean, Prudence?" said I, like a fool.
Now, as I spoke; glancing at her I saw her cheeks, that had
seemed hitherto more pale than usual, grow suddenly scarlet, and,
meeting my eyes, she hid her face in her two hands. Then, seeing
her distress, in that same instant I found the answer to my
question, and so stood, turning poor George's letter over and
over, more like a fool than ever.
"You must go away--you must go away!" she repeated.
"Hum!" said I.
"You must go soon; he means it, I--I've seen death in his face,"
she said, shuddering; "go to-day--the longer you stay here the
worse for all of us--go now."
"Prudence!" said I.
"Yes, Mr. Peter!" from behind her hands.
"You always loved Black George, didn't you?"
"Yes, Mr. Peter."
"And you love him still, don't you?" A moment's silence, then: "Yes, Mr. Peter."
"Excellent!" said I. Her head was raised a trifle, and one
tearful eye looked at me over her fingers. "I had always hoped
you did," I continued, "for his sake, and for yours, and in my
way, a very blundering way as it seems now, I have tried to bring
you two together." Prudence only sobbed. "But things are not
hopeless yet. I think I can see a means of straightening out
this tangle."
"Oh, if we only could!" sobbed Prudence. "Ye see, I were very
cruel to him, Mr. Peter!"