to note these features and the thick rings of gold in
the great ears when the face disappeared, and, as if they floated in the
air, she heard the words:

"I am the seventh son of the seventh daughter. I know all things. I can
tell you what is killing your sister."

Religion pulled up her rope reins, and Beck flew up the road as if all
Sherman's army were after her; nor did she slacken until she reached the
great gateway which turned into the Hermitage. Only a flat-topped post
remained of the gate, and a boy of twelve, with a face like Religion's,
was perched on it.

"Hi, dar, 'Ligion! Ho, Beck!" he cried. "Take me in an' give me a piece
of a ride anyway," and with a twinkle of his long ashy legs he landed
safely in the wagon.

"What you doin' here, Bud?" questioned his sister. "Why ain't you to
home with mammy and Min?"

"Min done had one o' she wussest spells, an' mammy sent me to Miss Tina
fur calomel. I heerd youna comin', an' I waited; 'kase ridin' beats
walkin' black and blue."

He looked up at her with a sly giggle, and crammed his mouth with
persimmons. He expected a scolding for delaying with the calomel, but
his sister only said:

"Quit eatin' them 'simmons. Pres'n'y we'll have to git calomel for
youna."

They were passing through the quarter now, where every one was getting
supper. The air was full of the appetizing odor of frying corn-bread and
bacon and boiling coffee. Men sat on the door-steps or smoked in groups
under the fine oaks which grew in the middle of the street, waiting for
the call to supper. Up at the end of the row of houses, and separated a
little from them by a wild-plum thicket, stood a house like a black
stump just seen above the green around it. It had what none of the
others possessed, a porch in front, but the rotten frame-work had
dropped off piece by piece, until it was a mystery how the heavy
scuppernong vine that grew upon it was supported. There were lilies and
roses in the clean bit of front yard, and on a box was a number of
geraniums flourishing in tin cans. There were boxes of violets, and a
thick honeysuckle was hugging a post and sending out sweet yellow
sprays. Beck drew up before the house with a jerk that had determination
in it. Bud jumped out with a boyish shout, but his sister caught his
arm.

"Hush, Bud! Don't you hear Min?"

"Min made up that piece to-day," responded Bud, in a roaring whisper.
"Maw an' me's been scared pretty nigh to death. Miss Tina say