For some minutes Aunt
Fanny stood off and admired the rich youthful glory of the sleeper,
prophetically reluctant to disturb her happiness. Then she obeyed the
impulse of duty and spoke the summoning words.
"Wha--what time is it?" demanded the newcomer from the land of Nod,
stretching her fine young body with a splendid but discontented yawn.
"Seben, Miss Bev'ly; wha' time do yo' s'pose hit is? Hit's d' reg'lah
time, o' co'se. Did yo' all have a nice sleep, honey?" and Aunt Fanny
went blissfully about the business of the hour.
"I didn't sleep a wink, confound it," grumbled Beverly, rubbing her eyes
and turning on her back to glare up at the tapestry above the couch.
"Yo' wasn' winkin' any when Ah fust come into de room, lemme tell yo',"
cackled Aunt Fanny with caustic freedom.
"See here, now, Aunt Fanny, I'm not going to stand any lecture from you
this morning. When a fellow hasn't slept a--"
"Who's a-lecturin' anybody, Ah'd lak to know? Ah'm jes' tellin' yo'
what yo' was a-doin' when Ah came into de room. Yo' was a-sleepin'
p'etty doggone tight, lemme tell yo'. Is yo' goin' out fo' yo' walk
befo' b'eakfus, honey? 'Cause if yo' is, yo' all 'll be obleeged to
climb out'n dat baid maghty quick-like. Yo' baf is ready, Miss Bev'ly."
Beverly splashed the water with unreasonable ferocity for a few minutes,
trying to enjoy a diversion that had not failed her until this morning.
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