I reckon Sally won't interfere none." He slammed the door viciously going out, causing the lamp to sputter.
Then the woman came silently forward, a coffeepot in her hand.

She was a mulatto perhaps sixty years of age, her face scarred by smallpox, and with strangely furtive eyes.

Somehow she fitted into the scene, and I saw my companion gazing at her almost with horror, as she flitted about us silently as a specter.

I endeavored to talk, while eating heartily, for I was hungry, but found it difficult to arouse Mrs.Bernard to any response, and she merely toyed with her food.

In despair I turned to the other, hopeful that a question or two might dissolve the spell.
"You are the housekeeper, I believe ?" She favored me with a single glance of surprise.
"Yes." "Have you been here some time ?" "No." "You probably knew the old Judge ?" "No." Her monosyllabic answers were perfectly colorless, and, with this last, she picked up an empty dish, and vanished.