“Yes’m,” said Mrs. Morgan sullenly. She kept on rocking.
Eliza was silent a moment longer.
“Where’s your husband?” she asked presently.
“In Sevier,” Mrs. Morgan said. “He’s a railroad man.”
“What’s that, what’s that?” said Eliza quickly, comically. “A railroad man, you say?” she inquired sharply.
“Yes’m.”
“Well, it looks mighty funny to me he hasn’t been in to see you,” said Eliza, with enormous accusing tranquillity. “I’d call it a pretty poor sort of man who’d act like that.”
Mrs. Morgan said nothing. Her tar-black eyes glittered in fireflame.
“Have you got any money?” said Eliza.
“No’m,” said Mrs. Morgan.
Eliza stood solidly, enjoying the warmth, pursing her lips. “When do you expect to have your baby?” said Eliza suddenly.
Mrs. Morgan said nothing for a moment. She kept on rocking.
“In less’n a month now, I reckon,” she answered.
She had been getting bigger week after week.
Eliza bent over and pulled her skirt up, revealing her leg to the knee, cotton-stockinged and lumpily wadded over with her heavy flannels.
“Whew!” she cried out coyly, noticing that Eugene was staring. “Turn your head, boy,” she commanded, snickering and rubbing her finger along her nose. The dull green of rolled banknotes shone through her stockings. She pulled the bills out.
“Well, I reckon you’ll have to have a little money,” said Eliza, peeling off two tens, and giving them to Mrs. Morgan.
“Thank you, ma’am,” said Mrs. Morgan, taking the money.
“You can stay here until you’re able to work again,” said Eliza. “I know a good doctor.”
“Mama, in heaven’s name,” Helen fumed. “Where on earth do you get these people?”
“Merciful God!” howled Gant, “you’ve had’em all—blind, lame, crazy, chippies and bastards. They all come here.”
Nevertheless, when he saw Mrs. Morgan now, he always made a profound bow, saying with the most florid courtesy:
