ble, but the old lady could but see that there were violet shadows
under the girl's eyes and that the contour of her cheek was not so
rounded as it had been in the summer.

That night, when Billy came to her room to see if she needed anything
before retiring--an unfailing custom of the old man--Miss Ann was on
the point of discussing with him the evident fatigue of their beloved
young hostess, but before she could open the subject Billy said:

"Miss Ann, I done got a big favor ter ax you. I ain't 'lowin' ter
imconvemience you none, but I air gonter go on a little trip. It air
goin' on ter fifty years sence I had a sho' 'nuf holiday, bein' as I
ain't never been ter say free ter leave you when we've been a visitin'
roun', kase I been always kinder feard you mought need ol' Billy
whilst you wa'n't ter say 'zactly at home, but somehows now you seem
ter kinder b'long here with Miss Judy an' her maw an' my feets air
been eatchin' so much lately th'ain't nothin' fer me ter do but follow
the signs an' go on a trip."

"But, Billy--" began Miss Ann.

"Yassum, I ain't gonter be gone long. It ain't gonter be mo'n three or
fo' days, or maybe five or six, but anyhow I's gonter be back here in
three shakes er a dead sheep's tail. I kin see, as well as you kin,
that Miss Judy air kinder tuckered out what with teachin' an' servin'
up them suppers to the street cyar men. I'm a thinkin' that when I
goes on my trip I mought fin' a good cook ter holp Miss Judy out. Her
maw am p'intedly 'posed ter nigger gals, but she ain't called on ter
be. Me'n you knows by lookin' on with one eye that Mrs. Buck air mo'
hindrance than help ter Miss Judy. You ain't gonter put no bans on my
goin' air you, Miss Ann? Looks like it ain't 'zactly grabby fer me ter
git a holiday onct every fifty years."

"Well, if--" Miss Ann tried again.

"Yassum, I done filled all the wood boxes in the house an' on the
po'ch. I done split up enough kindlin' ter las' a week. I done
scrubbed the kitchen an' cleaned out the cow shed an' put fresh straw
in Cupid and Puck's stalls. I done pick a tu'key fer Miss Judy an'
blacked the stove. I ain't lef nothin' undone, an' she ain't gonter
have no trouble till ol' Billy gits back. I done already ax her what
she thinks 'bout my goin' on a trip an' she say fer me ter git a move
on me 'kase I needs it an' what's mo' she done rooted out'n the attic
a top coat an' a pair er boots an' I'm a gonter go off dressed up as
good as a corpse