And yet the news about Seraphine had rooted her feet to the ground so she could hardly pull them up and move them.
"De day is young, Si May-e. It ain' middle-day, not yet. What's you hurry?"
"I'm gwine by Heaven's Gate road, Cousin. Dat's a long ways home."
"Is you comin to Heaven's Gate Friday night?"
"I might. I ain' certain."
"You better come see de place whe you is gwine some o dese days."
"Who? Me?" Mary laughed. "Lawd, Cousin, when you gets to Heaven I'm gwine to be waitin for you, ready to set right by you side."
"I hope so. I hope you will, gal."
The cool air outside was full of delicious scents which were all the more pleasant after the horrid smell of Andrew's shop with its black coal smoke. Mary sniffed it, then breathed it in deep before she started walking swiftly on the road leading toward Heaven's Gate Church.
New leaves, fragrant weeds and grasses were reaching up to catch all they could of the day's yellow sunshine. A light breeze full of summer softness floated in from the rice-fields and, snatching at the strong sweet smoke Mary pulled out of her pipe, swept it away, then climbed up
