trong arm guiding her
over the uneven path, and came to the open in silence.

"Don't come with me," she said then, and without a backward glance, went
rapidly from him down the shimmering road.

CHAPTER XLIII

THE EVENING OF AN OLD SCORE

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!--Major Bristow's ivory-headed camphor-wood stick
thumped on the great door of Damory Court. The sound had a tang of
impatience, for he had used the knocker more than once without result.
Now he strode to the end of the porch and raised his voice in a
stentorian bellow that brought Uncle Jefferson shuffling around the path
from the kitchens with all the whites of his eyes showing.

"You dog-gone lazy rascal!" thundered the major. "What do you mean, sah,
by keeping a gentleman cooling his heels on the door-step like a
tax-collector? Where's your master?"

"Fo' de Lawd, Major, Ah ain' seen Mars' John sence dis mawnin'. Staht
out aftah breakfus' en he nevah showed up ergen et all. Yo' reck'n whut
de mattah, suh?" he added anxiously. "'Peahs lak sumpin' preyin' on he
mind. Don' seem er bit hese'f lately."

"H-m-m!" The major looked thoughtful. "Isn't he well?"

"No, _suh_. Ain' et no mor'n er hummin'-buhd dese las' few days. Jes'
hangs eroun' lonesome lak. Don' laugh no mo', don' sing no mo'. Ain'
play de pianny sence de day aftah de ball. Me en Daph moght'ly pestered
'bout him."

"Pshaw!" said the major. "Touch of spring fever, I reckon. Aunt Daph
feeds him too well. Give him less fried chicken and more ash-cake and
buttermilk. Make him some juleps."

The old negro shook his head. "Moghty neah use up all dat mint-baid Ah
foun'," he said, "but ain' do no good. Majah, Ah's sho' 'feahed sumpin'
gwineter happen."

"Nonsense!" the major sniffed. "What fool idea's got under your wool
now? Been seeing Mad Anthony again, I'll bet a dollar."

Uncle Jefferson swallowed once or twice with seeming difficulty and
turned the gravel with his toe. "Dat's so," he said gloomily. "Ah done
see de old man de yuddah day 'bout et. Ant'ny, _he_ know! He see trouble
er-comin' en trouble er-gwine. Dat same night de hoss-shoe drop off'n de
stable do', en dis ve'y mawnin' er buhd done fly inter de house. Das' er
mighty bad hoodoo, er mighty bad hoodoo!"

"Shucks!" said the major. "You're as loony as old Anthony, with your
infernal signs. If your Mars' John's been out all day I reckon he'll
turn up before long. I'll wait for him a while." He started in, but
paused on the t