lot to do
about a house when there's a serious illness, even for people who
aren't doing the actual nursing."

"Ah s'pose so. Wouldn' hit be nice, jus' like a story, 'f they'd fall
in love with each other--Mr. Baron 'n Miss Sydney?"

"Now, ain' that jus' like a girl!" ejaculated Bud, gulping the last of
his coffee.

Bob sat down and fanned himself with his hat.

"Hot, ain' hit?" observed Pink, dryly. Then he turned to Melissa.

"You-all's fo'gittin' that he might be in prison at this minute. No
woman o' his class would marry him now. No woman likes to think her
man's guilty o' breakin' the law, eh? You-all wouldn' like yo' husband
to be a moonshiner, would ye?"

The man's body leaned towards the girl, and he fixed her with a cruel
stare from which she seemed unable to move her eyes. Seated as he was,
he looked like a huge snake upreared to strike.

He went on mercilessly. "O' co'se ye wouldn'. Ah expect you'd never
hol' up yo' haid ag'in. What woman can when her man's that-a-way?"

"Oh, dry up, Pink," cried Bud. "You-all make me feel like Ah had the
constable after me now, 'n Lawd knows hit ain' _me_ that's raced 'em
through these woods."

Pink acknowledged the shot with a grunt.

Melissa rose to go, and Bud picked up the baby and handed it to her.

"Hit's her busy day fo' sleepin', ain' hit?" he said, poking a blunt
finger into the soft cheek.

"I must go, too," said Bob, "or my mother'll jar me up for being late."

"Good-by," said Bud, genially. "Stop by ag'in some time."

"Miss Sydney's been so busy she ain' rode over here fo' a long time.
Will you-all give mah love to her, please?" said Melissa, timidly.

"'N mine," Pink started to add, but a dangerous look in Bob's eye
induced him to change it to "'N mah _re_-gards to Mr. Baron," though
his grin remained unaltered.

XII

Illumination

For the first time since the beginning of his illness, von Rittenheim
was walking unassisted towards the cluster of trees on the Oakwood
lawn, beneath whose shelter rugs and low chairs and a tea-table made a
summer sitting-room. Mrs. Carroll, who already was established in the
shade, watched anxiously her guest's feeble approach.

"You should have let the nurse or James come with you," she called to
him. "It's too far for you to walk alone."

"Ah, dear Mrs. Carroll, it is so good not to have that admirable nurse
or the good Uncle Yimmy with me."

He let himself down carefully into a big chair.

"A