I felt my strength ebb. "He calls for me?"
"He calls to you from the place of his sickness," he said. "He calls to Jessie."
My strength flowed back into me. I whispered, "Robbie lives?"
"He lives. He calls to Jessie," the Indian repeated.
Joy welled up in me; I clasped my hands together.
"I will come," I said. "But I must call my brother to come with me."
"You come; we wait," he said.
"Yes, yes," I said. I looked into the kitchen, where the servants were cleaning up the remains of supper, and spoke to the Indian. "Come inside and eat," I said.
His face was expressionless. "We wait," he said.
"Then you shall have food outside," I said. I spoke to the servants. "Bring food and drink. Some hot soup, and some bread." I hurried back into the house.
Polo dozed in the hallway.
"Polo!" I said. He raised his head, looking at me blearily. "Polo, wake up at once! Go and send a horse boy to me! I must send a letter to my father. Make haste!"
I went into the drawing room and took up pen and ink and quickly scratched a note to Papa, asking that Kevin accompany me to the back country at once, and gave it to the boy with fervent admonitions to hurry. Then I went to the library and knocked.
Mr. Randall's voice called to me to enter.
"Sir," I said, curtseying as he looked up.
He stood. "Jessie, dear," he said, and I was surprised to hear that his voice was slightly rough with drink. I realized that it was the first time in my memory that I had ever known him to ever overindulge. Unlike my father and Mr. O'Reilly, he never showed a change in character or behavior when he was drinking.
"Sir, Robbie lives! The Creeks have come to take me back to the Wateree."
"The Creeks?" he said, not comprehending, and I understood that even if he had been sober, it would have been difficult to take it in.
"He is at the Creek village; he is ill; he is asking for me," I said, and my voice broke. "I must go with them. I have sent for Kevin to go with me as well."
"Robbie lives?" he said, and stumbled around the desk toward me. "Robbie lives?
Can it be so? He lives?"