orrow.
I'm as right as rain again now, thanks to Aunt Daph and the doctor.
Something of a crusty citizen, the doctor, but he's all to the good."

A heavy step came along the porch and Uncle Jefferson appeared with a
tray holding a covered dish with a plate of biscuit and a round jam-pot.
"Look here," said John Valiant, "I had my luncheon three hours ago. I'm
being stuffed like a milk-fed turkey."

The old man smiled widely. "Et's jes' er li'l snack er broth," he said.
"Reck'n et'll kinder float eroun' de yuddah things. Daph ain' got no use
fo' _tea_. She say she boun' ter mek yo' fit fo' ernuddah rassle wid dem
moc'sins. Dis' yeah pot's dat apple-buttah whut Miss Mattie Sue sen' yo'
by Rickey Snyder."

Valiant sniffed with satisfaction. "I'm getting so confoundedly
spoiled," he said, "that I'm tempted to stay sick and do nothing but
eat. By the way, Uncle Jefferson, where did Rickey come from? Does she
belong here?"

"No, suh. She come f'om Hell's-Half-Acre."

"What's that?"

"Dat's dat ornery passle o' folks yondah on de Dome," explained Uncle
Jefferson. "Dey's been dah long's Ah kin recommembah--jes' er ramshackle
lot o' shif'less po'-white trash whut git erlong anyways 't all. Ain'
nobody boddahs erbout dem 'less'n et's er guv'ment agint, fo' dey makes
dey own whisky, en dey drinks et, too."

"That's interesting," said Valiant. "So Rickey belonged there?"

"Yas, suh; nebbah'd a-come down heah 'cep'n fo' Miss Shirley. She de one
whut fotch de li'l gal outen dat place, en put huh wid Miss Mattie Sue,
three yeah ergo."

A sudden color came into John Valiant's cheeks. "Tell me about it." His
voice vibrated eagerly.

"Well, suh," continued Uncle Jefferson, "dey was one o' dem low-down
Hell's-Half-Acrers, name' Greef King, whut call hese'f de mayah ob de
Dome, en he went on de ram_page_ one day, en took ahtah his wife. She
was er po' sickly 'ooman, wid er li'l gal five yeah ol' by er fus'
husban'. He done beat huh heap o' times befo', but _dis_ time he boun'
ter finish huh. Ah reck'n he was too drunk fo' dat, en she got erway en
run down heah. Et was wintah time en dah's snow on de groun'. Dah's er
road f'om de Dome dat hits de Red Road clost' ter Rosewood--dat ar's
de Dandridge place--en she come dah. Reck'n she wuz er pitiful-lookin'
obstacle. 'Peahs lak she done put de li'l gal up in de cabin lof' en
hid de laddah, en she mos' crazy fo' feah Greef git huh. She lef' he
huntin' fo' de young 'un when she run e