OUTCASTS
an' said dat we'd give a neighbourhood a bad name ef we moved into it. I've almos' tramped my laigs off. I've tried every decent place I could think of, but nobody wants us."
The girl was standing with her hands. clenched nervously before her. It was almost more than she could understand.
"Why, we ain't done anything," she said. "Even if they don't know any better than to believe that pa was guilty, they know we ain't done anything."
"I'd like to cut the heart out of a few of 'em," said Joe in his throat.
"It ain't goin' to do no good to look at it that a-way, Joe," his mother replied. "I know hit's ha'd, but we got to do de bes' we kin."
"What are we goin' to do?" cried the boy fiercely. "They won't let us work. They won't let us live anywhaih. Do they want us to live on the levee an' steal, like some of 'em do?"
"What are we goin' to do?" echoed
75
