"Oomph," she said.

"Oh mammy, don't look that way, I couldn't help it. Bartley--Mr.
Northcope has asked me to be his wife."

"Asked you to be his wife! Oomph! Whut did you tell him?"

"I didn't tell him anything. I was so ashamed I couldn't talk. I just
ran away like a silly."

"Oomph," said mammy again, "an' whut you gwine to tell him?"

"Oh, I don't know. Don't you think he's a very nice young man, Mr.
Northcope, mammy? And then his father's so nice."

Mammy's face clouded. "I doan' see whaih yo' Ha'ison pride is," she
said; "co'se, he may be nice enough, but does you want to tell him yes
de fust t'ing, so's he'll t'ink dat you jumped at de chanst to git him
an' git back in de homestid?"

"Oh, mammy," cried Mima; she had gone all white and cold.

"You do' know nothin' 'bout his quality. You a Ha'ison yo'se'f. Who is
he to be jumped at an' tuk at de fust axin'? Ef he wants you ve'y bad
he'll ax mo' dan once."

"You needn't have reminded me, mammy, of who I am," said Mima. "I had
no intention of telling Mr. Northcope yes. You needn't have been
afraid for me." She fibbed a little, it is to be feared.