ol her laughter,
"that rock didn't tetch ole Blue. He's sech a make-believe, I'm a great
mind to hit him a clip jest to show you how he can go on."

"Now, don't do that, honey," said her father. "Ef you want to chunk
anybody, chunk me. I kin holler lots purtier'n ole Blue. An' ef you
don't want to chunk me, chunk your mammy fer ole acquaintance' sake.
She's big an' fat."

"Oh, Lordy!" exclaimed Mrs. Hightower from the inside of the house.
"Don't set her atter me, Abe--don't, fer mercy's sake. Get her in the
notion, an' she'll be a-yerkin' me aroun' thereckly like I wuz a
rag-baby. I'm a-gittin' too ole fer ter be romped aroun' by a great big
double-j'inted gal like Babe. Projick wi' 'er yourself, but make 'er let
me alone."

Abe turned and went around the house again, leaving his daughter
standing on the porch, her cheeks glowing, and her black eyes sparkling
with laughter. Babe loitered on the porch a moment, looking into the
valley. The gray mists had lifted themselves into the upper air, and the
atmosphere was so clear that the road leading to the mountain could be
followed by the eye, save where it ran under the masses of foliage; and
it seemed to be a most devious and versatile road, turning back on
itself at one moment only to plunge boldly forward the next. Nor was it
lacking in color. On the levels it was of dazzling whiteness, shining
like a pool of water; but at points where it made a visible descent it
was alternately red and gray. Something or other on this variegated road
attracted Miss Babe's attention, for she shaded her eyes with her hand,
and leaned forward. Presently she cried out:

"Pap!--oh, pap! there's a man a-ridin' up Peevy's Ridge."

This information was repeated by Babe's mother; and in a few moments the
porch, which was none too commodious, though it was very substantial,
was occupied by the entire Hightower family, which included Grandsir
Hightower, a white-haired old man, whose serenity seemed to be borrowed
from another world. Mrs. Hightower herself was a stout, motherly-looking
woman, whose whole appearance betokened contentment, if not happiness.
Abe shaded his eyes with his broad hand, and looked toward Peevy's
Ridge.

"I reckon maybe it's Tuck Peevy hisse'f," Mrs. Hightower remarked.

"That's who I 'lowed hit wiz," said Grandsir Hightower, in the tone of
one who had previously made up his mind.

"Well, I reckon I ought to know Tuck Peevy," exclaimed Babe.

"That's so," said G