lone?â Martha asked.
âIâll send Ocie tâ set wid yuh. If he rouses, giâe im tea or water. But Iâll be back directly.â
Titay hadnât been gone long enough to attend one person before she returned. âHow come yuh back so soon?â Martha asked.
âTrouble. That Cora spreadin evil. They sayin I harbor death. The stranger come tâ bring sickness to our people. Ainât that why I found im, they say. No oneâll speak tâ me. They so scared they wonât let me tend the sick. Sayin I might spread sickness to em.â
âWhat yuh gon do, Granma?â
âMake im well! Mat, girl, if he die now I may as well die too, cause Coraâs wayâll bcome the way of the island.â
Martha knew Titay was worried when she went into the room and closed the door to do her communin.
The stranger still slept, his breathing even and quiet. Martha watched his brow and waited for the sweat that meant a fever was broken.
Shadows lengthened and the sounds deepened. Titay stayed in her room, and the stranger didnât awaken. No one had stopped by to talk, to bring Titay little gifts or to ask Titayâs advice.
When the waiting had become almost unbearable, Titay began to move about in her room. Soon she came out and bent over the stranger. Then she smiled. âHe better, but not best. Weâll wrap im in flannel and giâe im mo tea.â
They waited. The moon shone in the small window and cast the shadow of the two women in the darkness over the bed of the stranger.
Finally Titay lit the lamp and said with great joy, âHallelujah! He sweatin. He be all right. Mat, you go tâ bed.â
That morning Titay came to her room just before dawn. She said to Martha, âHe better. He ast âWhere am I?â and when I tole im he heah on Blue Isle, Lousana, he was sho muff surprised. Went right on back tâ sleep. I know he better.â
âOh, thatâs good, Granma. Câmon tâ bed now and git some rest.â
Noise at the front of the house awoke Martha.
âTitay, Titay, come out heah,â Cora shouted. âWe know you harborin that stranger, tryin tâ stroy us all.â
Martha jumped from her bed. The sun was high. Cora continued her shouting. âTitay. You in there. Answer me.â
Martha was frightened. Had Cora convinced the people of danger? And suppose the stranger did bring a terrible sickness? But he was much better, Titay said so.
She dressed hurriedly and rushed to see if the stranger was able to show himself to Cora LaRue. âGranma!â she called. âHe gone.â
Titay rushed into the room. âHe canât be.â She looked behind the door, under the bed. âHe mus be heah. Look see in the kitchen.â
Martha ran to the kitchen. He was not there. Other islanders had arrived and Cora was shouting to them. âShe got somethin tâ hide, yes. If not, whynât she come answer me? Whynât she let us see the stranger?â
What had happened to him, Martha wondered. Was Cora working evil tricks? The stranger couldnât just disappear. Martha ran to her room again. He wasnât there. What had happened? She ran to Titay. âGranma, he ainât in this house.â
âIâll face er.â Titay walked out the door with Martha close behind. Martha was surprised to see so many people standing about in their yard. They were all quiet, but looked afraid. Titay said nothing. She stood, waiting.
âWhynât yuh answer, old woman?â Cora shouted.
The people mumbled and Martha knew they did not like Cora talking to Titay in that way. But they too wanted proof that their lives were not endangered by the stranger.
Titay didnât answer. She kept her head up, her eyes toward the Gulf. Suddenly a smile spread over her face. Martha looked. The stranger was coming down the path, walking slowly as if he was very tired. He had changed his clothes.
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake