The girl shrank away from him.
“Yes, sir.”
“What do you do?”
“I teach and nurse at the school.”
‚ÄúGood! Well, I‚Äôm going to give you some money‚ÅÝ‚Äîdo you know why?‚Äù
A flash of self-consciousness passed over the girl’s face; she looked at him with her wide blue eyes.
“Yes, Grandfather,” she faltered.
Mrs. ¬ÝCresswell rose to her feet; but the old man slowly dropped the girl‚Äôs hand and lay back in his chair, with lips half smiling. ‚ÄúGrandfather,‚Äù he repeated softly. He closed his eyes a space and then opened them. A tremor shivered in his limbs as he stared darkly at the swamp.
‚ÄúHark!‚Äù he cried harshly. ‚ÄúDo you hear the bodies creaking on the limbs? It‚Äôs Rob and Johnson. I did it‚ÅÝ‚ÄîI‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äù
Suddenly he rose and stood erect and his wild eyes stricken with death stared full upon Emma. Slowly and thickly he spoke, working his trembling hands.
‚ÄúNell‚ÅÝ‚ÄîNell! Is it you, little wife, come back to accuse me? Ah, Nell, don‚Äôt shrink! I know‚ÅÝ‚ÄîI have sinned against the light and the blood of your poor black people is red on these old hands. No, don‚Äôt put your clean white hands upon me, Nell, till I wash mine. I‚Äôll do it, Nell; I‚Äôll atone. I‚Äôm a Cresswell yet, Nell, a Cresswell and a gen‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äù He swayed. Vainly he struggled for the word. The shudder of death shook his soul, and he passed.