another unfriendly look, and a minute later was riding away out of sight.
A T ALK W ITH H ENRY
4
T HE INSTANT HE WAS OUT OF SIGHT , K ATIE CAME running toward me.
ââMayme . . . that was my uncle Burchard from Charlotte! Heâs the one Iâve been telling you about all this time!ââ
ââI overheard a little,ââ I said.
ââWhat are we going to do? Did you hear him . . . heâs coming back. Heâs not like the others. Heâs going to expect to see my mother.ââ
ââWhat do you think he wants?ââ
ââI donât know,ââ said Katie.
ââI reckon weâll have to think about this a spell.ââ
ââI wish Uncle Templeton was here!ââ
We did think about it the rest of the day, without much success in coming up with any ideas. About the only thing we thought to do was try to hide Katieâs familyâs graves as best we could. Katieâs uncle hadnât noticed them, but he would eventually. The result was that when he arrived at Rosewood again about midmorning on the next day, there were a bunch of straw bales piled around the stones. Katie had been nervous the whole time and didnât know what else to do but what she always didâsay that her mother was gone again.
She did. But it was clear enough her uncle didnât like it.
ââDidnât you tell her I was coming?ââ
ââYes, sir. But you didnât say when, Uncle Burchard.ââ
ââWell, then, this time you can tell her I will be back this afternoon.ââ
ââIâm sorry, sir,ââ said Katie, ââbut she wonât be back.ââ
An exasperated curse came from her uncleâs lips.
ââWhy in blazes not!ââ he half shouted.
ââShe needs to stay until Mrs. Thurston is better.ââ
ââWho made her nursemaid over the whole county! Iâd think sheâd have better things to do with Richard gone. And I suppose you have nothing more to tell me about your fatherâs whereabouts?ââ
ââNo, sir.ââ
He drew in a breath, irritated but not knowing what to do, and glanced around.
ââThe place looks run-down,ââ he said. ââWhoâs doing all the work, whoâs planting the crops and bringing them in? Whoâs tending the livestock?ââ
ââWe all do, Uncle Burchard. And we get people to help with the crops when we need them.ââ
ââHired darkies, you mean?ââ
ââYes, sir.ââ Something told Katie he wouldnât be pleased to hear that the neâer-do-well brother of his sister-in-law had been around slowly taking charge of the place.
ââAll right, then,ââ he said with another sigh. ââIâll give your mother two days to get your sick friend back on her feet. You tell her Iâll be back morning after next, and I want to talk to her. I donât care if your neighbor is dying âyou tell her to be here! You got that, Kathleen?ââ
ââYes, sir,ââ said Katie. Her uncle turned again and left. Katie was still standing on the porch.
We went into the kitchen and sat down. I pumped Katie a glass of water and she drank it down in three swallows. It seemed to bring her back to herself.
ââI would like you to ride into town, Mayme,ââ she said at length. ââTake an extra horse and ask Henry if he could come out. We need to talk to him. I donât know what to do. Iâd almost forgotten what it was like before Uncle Templeton came.ââ
Henry came out that same evening on the horse Katie had sent for him. Iâd only told him briefly about the situation earlier, but heâd been involved with us long enough to know Katieâs fear that her uncle might try to take
A T ALK W ITH H ENRY
4
T HE INSTANT HE WAS OUT OF SIGHT , K ATIE CAME running toward me.
ââMayme . . . that was my uncle Burchard from Charlotte! Heâs the one Iâve been telling you about all this time!ââ
ââI overheard a little,ââ I said.
ââWhat are we going to do? Did you hear him . . . heâs coming back. Heâs not like the others. Heâs going to expect to see my mother.ââ
ââWhat do you think he wants?ââ
ââI donât know,ââ said Katie.
ââI reckon weâll have to think about this a spell.ââ
ââI wish Uncle Templeton was here!ââ
We did think about it the rest of the day, without much success in coming up with any ideas. About the only thing we thought to do was try to hide Katieâs familyâs graves as best we could. Katieâs uncle hadnât noticed them, but he would eventually. The result was that when he arrived at Rosewood again about midmorning on the next day, there were a bunch of straw bales piled around the stones. Katie had been nervous the whole time and didnât know what else to do but what she always didâsay that her mother was gone again.
She did. But it was clear enough her uncle didnât like it.
ââDidnât you tell her I was coming?ââ
ââYes, sir. But you didnât say when, Uncle Burchard.ââ
ââWell, then, this time you can tell her I will be back this afternoon.ââ
ââIâm sorry, sir,ââ said Katie, ââbut she wonât be back.ââ
An exasperated curse came from her uncleâs lips.
ââWhy in blazes not!ââ he half shouted.
ââShe needs to stay until Mrs. Thurston is better.ââ
ââWho made her nursemaid over the whole county! Iâd think sheâd have better things to do with Richard gone. And I suppose you have nothing more to tell me about your fatherâs whereabouts?ââ
ââNo, sir.ââ
He drew in a breath, irritated but not knowing what to do, and glanced around.
ââThe place looks run-down,ââ he said. ââWhoâs doing all the work, whoâs planting the crops and bringing them in? Whoâs tending the livestock?ââ
ââWe all do, Uncle Burchard. And we get people to help with the crops when we need them.ââ
ââHired darkies, you mean?ââ
ââYes, sir.ââ Something told Katie he wouldnât be pleased to hear that the neâer-do-well brother of his sister-in-law had been around slowly taking charge of the place.
ââAll right, then,ââ he said with another sigh. ââIâll give your mother two days to get your sick friend back on her feet. You tell her Iâll be back morning after next, and I want to talk to her. I donât care if your neighbor is dying âyou tell her to be here! You got that, Kathleen?ââ
ââYes, sir,ââ said Katie. Her uncle turned again and left. Katie was still standing on the porch.
We went into the kitchen and sat down. I pumped Katie a glass of water and she drank it down in three swallows. It seemed to bring her back to herself.
ââI would like you to ride into town, Mayme,ââ she said at length. ââTake an extra horse and ask Henry if he could come out. We need to talk to him. I donât know what to do. Iâd almost forgotten what it was like before Uncle Templeton came.ââ
Henry came out that same evening on the horse Katie had sent for him. Iâd only told him briefly about the situation earlier, but heâd been involved with us long enough to know Katieâs fear that her uncle might try to take
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