her what'd be satisfactual to Felix
Kendrick. I see George Denham sailing in and out and flying around; and
if the pinch comes, as come it must, Brother Brannum, we can up and ast
George for to fetch us sech reports as a hongry man can stomach."

Brother Brannum frowned heavily, but made no response. Presently
Brother Roach beckoned to the young man whom he had called George
Denham. "Howdy, George! How is Kitty Kendrick? Solemn as the season is,
George, I lay 'twould be wrong for to let Beauty pine."

The young man suppressed a smile, and raised his hands in protest.

"Uncle Johnny! to joke me at such a time! I shall go to-morrow and cut
your mill-race, and you will never know who did it."

"Ah, George! if death changes a man no more'n they say it does, little
does Felix Kendrick need to be holp by these dismal takings-on. From
first to last, he begrudged no man his banter. But here we are, and
yan's the preacher. The p'int wi' me, George, is, how kin we-all
setting on the back seats know when the preacher gits to his 'amen,'
onless his expoundance is too loud to be becoming?"

"Come, now, Uncle Johnny," said young Denham, "no winking, and I'll
tell you. I was talking to Miss Kitty just now, and all of a sudden she
cried out, 'Why, yonder's Uncle Johnny Roach, and he's walking, too.
Uncle Johnny must stay to dinner;' and Mrs. Kendrick says, 'Yes, and
Brother Branmim too.' And so there you are."

"Well, sir," exclaimed Brother Roach, "Kitty always had a piece of my
heart, and now she has it all."

"A likely young man, that George Denham," said Brother Brannum, as
Denham moved towards the house.

"You never spoke a truer word, Brother Brannum," said Brother Roach,
enthusiastically. "Look at his limbs, look at his gait, look at his
eye. If the world, the flesh, and the devil don't freeze out his
intents, you'll hear from that chap. He's a-gitting high up in the law,
and where'll you find a better managed plantation than his'n?"

What else Brother Roach said or might have said must be left to
conjecture. In the midst of his eulogy on the living, the preacher in
the house began his eulogy of the dead. Those who heard what he said
were much edified, and those who failed to hear made a decorous
pretence of listening intently. In the midst of the sermon Brother
Roach felt himself touched on the arm. Looking up, he saw that Brother
Brannum was gazing intently at one of the gables on the roof. Following
the direction of