agony aloud, like a negro. He stood with aching throat and blurred eyes,
trembling, swallowing, and silent.

Presently Nan Berry opened the door. She held a half-burned paper in her
hand; Dr. Jallup stood near the bed, portioning out some calomel and
quinine. The prevalent disease in Hooker's Bend is malaria; Dr. Jallup
always physicked for malaria. On this occasion he diagnosed it must be a
very severe attack of malaria indeed, so he measured out enormous doses.

He took a glass of the water that Viny had brought, held up old
Caroline's head, and washed down two big capsules into the already
poisoned stomach of the old negress. His simple face was quite
inscrutable as he did this. He left other capsules for Nan to administer
at regular intervals. Then he and Captain Renfrew motored out of
Niggertown, out of its dust and filth and stench.

At four o'clock in the morning Caroline Siner died.




CHAPTER VI


When Nan Berry saw that Caroline was dead, the black woman dropped a
glass of water and a capsule of calomel and stared. A queer terror
seized her. She began such a wailing that it aroused others in
Niggertown. At the sound they got out of their beds and came to the
Siner cabin, their eyes big with mystery and fear. At the sight of old
Caroline's motionless body they lifted their voices through the night.