Geraldine laughed comfortably. “Well. While it was still light, Mama sent me out to cut some fat lighter wood so she could start the stove next morning. That was Mrs. Considine’s old house, you remember.” Clovis nodded. “Well, I passed the table where that chocolate cake sat, the icing just hardening, and it looked so good I said, ‘Mama, can’t I have me a piece of that cake?’ And she said no, not till after suppertime and we’d see what they left over, if any. Seemed like I never wanted anything much as I wanted that cake that minute, but I went out like she told me and on to the woodpile and started to cut the wood.

“I had to stop to pick a splinter out of my hand; you know how splintery lighter wood is, but it didn’t bleed hardly at all because it was in the hard part of my hand, from hoeing. Oh, yes’m, even that young I hoed.

“On the sudden I smelled fire. Then I turnt and saw it, and it wasn’t but minutes till the whole place roared up and was gone. Didn’t save a stick of furniture, but everybody got out—”

“Thank the Lord!” Clovis murmured.

“Yes’m. Even the old tomcat named Abraham. Well, I couldn’t think of nothing but that cake and how it had sat there on the table, and I’d wanted me a piece of it, and now it was all burnt up with the rest.”

Both women were thoughtful. “What we remember,” Clovis said, shaking her head.

Finished with the potato, Alonzo dropped its limp, sticky skin on the table and went out the door.

“Where you going?” Clovis called.

“Wander about,” Alonzo said.

“Don’t get too far and forget your supper.”

Alonzo went into the yard and to the barn. He kicked the door lightly, then went close to examine the hinges. One would have to be replaced. The other needed only a big nail or two hammered in part way and bent over. He’d do it tomorrow—maybe. He grimaced with the first return to feeling himself again. Going into the barn, he rummaged in a box of nails and old fish hooks and hinges until he saw that he had what he needed and would not have to make a special trip to town. Then he came out of the barn, stretched his arms upward, and looked around.