Her lips stiffened over the words; her tongue felt frozen, but July's old bold laugh answered her as he put a hand on each of her shoulders. "Yes you is, honey. I been gone a long time, fo-true, but I ain' forgot you, an' I ain' never blongst to nobody but you since de day you marked me in de ear wid dat knife. You 'member, enty?"
She nodded her head. She remembered well. She was dizzy with old memories. The old love and the old hurt and the old bitterness had all come back and were making her weak and faint. July took her swiftly in his arms and held her close to him and pressed his hot lips on hers.
That woke her up, wide awake. With the strength of a cyclone, she gave him a backward push which sent him stumbling down the steps. But he laughed pleasantly.
"Great Gawd, you is strong still yet. You got de same old devil in you, too. I don' blame you for pushin me off, honey. I wouldn' say a word if you was to knock me down an' stomp in my face, so long as you take me back."
"Take who back? You. July Pinesett? Be fo I'd let you come inside my door, I'd see you rotted in Hell."
"Why, Si May-e! What you mean? You
