Margaret felt as if she had no business to be there, familiarly acquainting herself with the surroundings of death, which he, the father, had only just learnt. There had been a pause of an instant on the steep crooked stair, when she first saw him; but now she tried to steal past his abstracted gaze, and to leave him in the solemn circle of his household misery.
Mary sat down on the first chair she came to, and throwing her apron over her head, began to cry.
The noise appeared to rouse him. He took sudden hold of Margaret's arm, and held her till he could gather words to speak. His throat seemed dry; they came up thick, and choked, and hoarse:
"Were yo' with her? Did yo' see her die?"

Margaret felt as if she had no business to be there. She tried to steal past his abstracted gaze, and to leave him in the solemn circle of his household misery.
Mary sat down, and throwing her apron over her head, began to cry. The noise roused him. He took sudden hold of Margaret's arm; his words came up thick, and choked, and hoarse:
'Were yo' with her? Did yo' see her die?'
