married to me."

"Huh," Plaster grunted.

"An I wants you to brush up yo' clothes, Plaster," the woman told him.
"You looks scandalous dusty."

"I looks as good as you does," Plaster retorted. "I's got powdered dirt
on my clothes an' you's got powdered chalk on yo' nose. You looks to
dang dressy fer me anyhow. I favors bein' dusty an' easy-feelin'."

The discussion ended by the appearance of three women who came to the
open door from the highroad.

"Look at dat, now!" Plaster exclaimed. "Here comes three ole gals of
mine. I co'ted 'em all servigerous but it didn't git me nothin'."

"Whut dey buttin' in here fer?" Pearline asked in sharp tones.

"Mebbe dey'll tell us when dey comes in," Plaster chuckled.

The three women were the wives of Hitch Diamond, Figger Bush, and
Vinegar Atts. When they entered they came straight to the point.

"Plaster, us ladies wants to talk to Sister Pearline Flunder Sickety in
privut."

"Dat cain't be did, sisters," Plaster answered, looking them over
suspiciously. "Whut does you want to tell my wife in privut?"

"Dat's a secret," Scootie Bush giggled.

Plaster looked at the women with an earnest effort to read their
intentions. He recalled certain incidents in his association with the
three in the old days of happy courtship that he preferred his wife
should not know. He thought he saw mischief in the eyes of each of the
women, especially Scootie and Goldie, and he shook his head.

"Nothin' ain't told in privut, sisters," he announced. "Leastwise, not
till after de third day."

"Does you aim to say dat I cain't conversation in privut wid my
frien's?" Pearline snapped.

"No'm not perzackly dat," Plaster hastened to explain. "But it looks
kinder onpossible to me as long as I'm tied up wid you on dis chain."

"Git over again dat wall while dese ladies whispers to me," Pearline
replied, giving him a push.

Plaster sat down and strained his ears to hear. What he heard was
spasmodic giggles. He saw mischievous glances directed to himself. Once
he saw his wife look straight at him reproachfully, as if she suspected
that he was trying to overhear. There was half an hour of this, then the
three giggling women took their departure.

"Whut did dem nigger women want, Pearline?" Plaster demanded.

"Dat's a fambly secret," Pearline giggled.

"Does you think you oughter hab any secrets from yo' cote-house
husbunt?" Plaster demanded belligerently.

"Naw, suh. Not no secrets dat st