but hit looks like
Alfurd hed turned his mind tu a Injun show. He's got Node Beckley into
hit; they has things all trimmed with feathers. Now you know what has
made our chickens look so bobbed; they ain't one uf 'em thet's got es
much tail feathers es a blue bird in poke berry time. An' yer peafowl
feather duster,"--here Lin raised her hands--"why they ain't enough left
to shoo a pis-ant, let alone a fly. Lor' Mary, hit's orful, they must-a
had a sham battul or a war, fer Node is kivered with blood an' Alfurd
looked peeled in several places. Node had on a ole feather head dress,
barefooted 'ceptin' socks, no hat or coat, kivered with dust and so was
Alfurd. He was carryin' the Injun fixin's and laffin'; laffin', why
you'd think hit wus the bigges' frolik in the world. Node looked jes es
Joe Sandford looked when he shed his wall-paper show duds. I'll jes run
over an' see what Had Beckley has tu say. I'll bet she'll rear an'
charge when Node gets home."

"Good mornin' Mrs. Beckley, how's all?" was Lin's greeting.

"Won't you walk in, we're all upside down here; walk in ef you can git
in fur the dirt and cluttered up house. Node's been up and gone for two
hours; I'm waitin' fur him to kum so we kin eat breakfus an' clean up. I
have no idee whar he is; your Alfred an' him's together nite an' day
now."

Lin looked surprised as she repeated, "Nite an' day? An' what do ye
s'pose they is up tu, Mrs. Beckley?"

"Well, I dunno. Node's allus got some notion or other in his head. I
never pay no tension to him; ef hit ain't one thing hit's anuther. I
rekon hit's a patent rite concern. He's been putterin' on pattern things
ever sence we wus married."

"Do they run out at nite much, Node an' Alfurd?" Lin asked.

"Why, every blessed nite and all day Sundays."

Lin suggested: "Maybe they go to Baptus meetin'. Thar havin' a revivul;
maybe Node an' Alfurd's thinkin' of jinin' the Baptus Church."

"Huh! Node would be a hell of a Baptus; he's so feared of water he
hain't washed his feet this blessed wintur," snapped Mrs. Beckley.

Lin decided in her mind that Mrs. Beckley was entirely ignorant of the
scheme her husband and Alfred had under way and she changed tack:
"Perhaps they're startin' a show. Has yer husband talked about Injuns tu
yer lately?"

"No," answered the wife in open-mouthed wonder, "have you heard they
were goun' off tu fight Injuns?"

"No, no," quickly assured Lin, "I didn't mean they wus goin' tu fight
Injuns