? ? ? ? "Auntie, I know now it was mean, but I didn't mean to be mean. I didn't, honest. And besides I didn't come over here to laugh at you that night."
? ? ? ? "What did you come for, then?"
? ? ? ? "It was to tell you not to be uneasy about us, because we hadn't got drownded."
? ? ? ? "Tom, Tom, I would be the thankfullest soul in this world if I could believe you ever had as good a thought as that, but you know you never did- and I know it, Tom."
? ? ? ? "Indeed and 'deed I did, auntie- I wish I may never stir if I didn't."
? ? ? ? "O, Tom, don't lie- don't do it. It only makes things a hundred times worse."
? ? ? ? "It ain't a lie, auntie, it's the truth. I wanted to keep you from grieving- that was all that made me come."
? ? ? ? "I'd give the whole world to believe that- it would cover up a power of sins, Tom. I'd most be glad you'd run off and acted so bad. But it ain't reasonable; because, why didn't you tell me, child?"
? ? ? ? "Why, you see, auntie, when you got to talking about the funeral, I just got all full of the idea of our coming and hiding in the church, and I couldn't somehow bear to spoil it.
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