ight peart woman."

"Now, Jasper," she said, "you air shorely enough to provoke a saint,
bein' a man. But, Miz Mayfield, this has all come about so sudden
that--"

Jasper snorted and she scowled at him. "Don't pay no attention to him,
Miz Mayfield. Yes, so sudden that I don't hardly know what to say. But
Lou is a good child an' thar ain't but one pity about her, an' that is
she hain't got much l'arnin', though she did go to school fur two year
over at Dry Fork."

"She will learn, Mrs. Starbuck, and he will be proud of her."

"I'm so glad to hear you say that, Miz Mayfield. An' you ain't
disapp'inted at yo' nephew's choice?"

"It was for him and her to choose, Mrs. Starbuck, and all the rest of
the world should be silent."

"But," Margaret persisted, "his father, the Jedge. What about him?"

"When he knows that all her people have been brave soldiers, he will
call her his daughter."

"So glad," said Margaret, and then Jasper broke in.

"But what's the use of canvassin' now that all the returns air in. We
all seed how the thing was a driftin' an' thar wan't no way to stop it
even if we wanted to. That young feller is a man. I am proud of him, an'
as Miz Mayfield says, he'll be proud of her."

Still Margaret was loth to leave off. "I'm so glad to know that you
ain't disapp'inted."

"No one could be disappointed in her, Mrs. Starbuck. She has a strong
character."

"So glad to have sich a estimate from one that knows the world."

"It is knowing something of the world that causes me to place so high a
value upon her."

"Thar," said Jasper, "thank her ag'in an' then we'll begin at suthin'
else."

Margaret begged of Mrs. Mayfield that she would pay no attention to
Jasper, who was always so full of his pranks, and then to the old man
she whispered: "Old Miz Barker was a passin' this mornin' an' she 'lows
that the app'intment has come. Have you fixed everythin' at the mill?"

"No. Laz is there a waitin' for me now."

"Well, I'll go over with you."

They went away, looking back and begging to be "excused," and Mrs.
Mayfield stood looking down the road. After a time she went over by the
fence, sat down on a stump and began to pluck flowers from the vines
that ran along the rails. Into the yard Kintchin came, singing; but when
he discovered Mrs. Mayfield he left off his half-dancing walk, began to
limp, and approaching her he said: "Ol' steer dun kicked me on de hip."

"I am sorry, Kintchin."

"Yas'm. But