r tried to flatter any one. Judas was a flatterer."

"That's right, ma'm," the old man declared, laughing and slapping his
leg; "an' I'd ruther a man would tell me a flat-footed lie than to pour
molasses on me. Young feller," he asked of Tom, "did you like yo'
ride?"

"Charmed with it, I assure you. Auntie called it a continuous panorama."

"Wall, I never thought about it in that way, but I reckon that's about
what it is."

"Oh, such visions are not to be forgotten," Mrs. Mayfield spoke up, and
at the sound of her voice Jim dodged. "And such air, Mr.
Starbuck--ethereal liquor of the gods."

At the word liquor Jasper's jaw dropped with a "hah?"

"Yes," she said, "wine from the press of Paradise. How free from the
taint of the world was every shrub and flower! I thought that a poet had
laid him down and dreamed, and awaking and stealing away, had left his
dream behind."

"That so? And right up on the hill from whar you crossed the river thar
lives the old feller they tell the tale about. Many years ago when thar
come along a gover'ment surveyor, a changein' the line between North
Caroliny an' Tennessee, he dragged his chain through the old feller's
house, putting one room in one state an' lettin' the other room stay in
the state it was. 'Wall,' says the old feller, beginnin' to move his
bed over into the tuther room, 'reckon I'll sleep over here as North
Caroliny ain't very healthy nohow,' an' he did till years atterwards
another chain proved that he was mo' than fifty miles over in Tennessee
an' then his health improved might'ly. I'm glad you like our part o' the
country, ma'm."

"Anyone to know the dark side of life as I do, Mr. Starbuck, must revel
here. There are no sneers among the trees, and the tears that fall from
the flowers are tears of joy and not of sorrow. It does not seem that
the great explorer, Trouble, has ever penetrated this region."

"Ma'm," said the old man, standing in front of her with his hands behind
him, "no matter whar we go trouble is thar jest in advance of us.
Trouble was in the garden of Eden, waitin' for man. The coward may say
that it come with the woman, but it was thar in the shape of a snake
befo' man trod the path. A house may be away off among the hills; it may
be kivered all over with vines an' the flowers may sweeten the roof, and
yit inside thar may be a heart that is a smotherin'."

"It is mighty warm in here," said Margaret, entering the room. "Come to
dinner."

Jim