"Well, suh, `co'se mos' on `em b'lieve same as yo' pa; but dat sutney fotch `em, an' win de de-bate, `case dey jass natchully lay back an' roah, dey did, Missy; dey laff an' stomp an' holler tell you could a hearn `em a mild away. An' honey, yo' pa'd a millyum times druther Mist' Vanrevel'd a kilt him dan tuhn de laff on him. He'd shoot a man, honey, ef he jass s'picion him to grin out de cornder his eye at him; an' to stan' up dah wid de whole county fa'r roahin' at him--it's de God's mussy be did'n have no ahms wid him, dat night! Ole Mist' Chen'eth done brung him home, an' yo' pa reach out an' kick me squah' out'n' de liberry winder soon's he ketch sight er me!" The old man's gravity gave way to his enjoyment of the recollection, and he threw back his head to laugh. "He sho' did, honey! Uhuh! Ho, ho, ho! He sho' did, honey, he sho' did!"
Nevertheless, as he lifted the tray again and crossed the room to go, his solemnity returned. "Missy," he said earnestly," ef dat young gelmun fall in love wid you, w'ich I knows he will ef he ketch sight er you, lemme say dis, an' please fo' to ba'h in mine: better have nuttin' do wid him fo' he own sake; an' `bove all, keep him fur sway f'um dese p'emises. Don' let him come in a mild er dis house."
"Nelson, was that all the quarrel between them?"
"Blessed Mussy! ain' dat `nough? Ef dey's any mo' I ain' hearn what dat part were," he answered quickly, but with a dogged tightening of the lips which convinced Miss Betty that he knew very well.
"Nelson, what was the rest of it?"
"Please, Missy, I got pack yo' pa trunk; an' it time, long ago, fer me to be at my wu'k." He was half out of the door.
"What was the rest of it? " she repeated quietly.
"Now, honey," he returned with a deprecatory shake of his head, "I got my own wu'k `tend to; an' I ain't nevah ax nobody what `twas, an' I ain't goin' ax `em. An' lemme jass beg you f oiler de ole man's advice: you do de same, `case nobody ain't goin' tell you. All I know is dat it come later and were somep'n `bout dat riprarin Crailey Gray. Yo' pa he sent a channelge to Mist' Vanrevel, an' Mist' Vanrevel `fuse to fight him `cause he say he don' b'lieve shootin' yo' pa goin' do yo' pa any good, an' he still got hope mekkin' good citizen outer him. Dat brung de laff on yo' pa ag'in; an' he `clare to God ef he ketch Vanrevel on any groun' er hisn he shoot him like a mad dog. `Pon my livin' soul he mean dem wuds, Missy!
Dey had hard `nough time las' night keepin' him fum teahin' dat man to pieces at de fiah. You mus' keep dat young gelmun `way fum heah!"
"He came home with me last night, Nelson; I told father so."
"Yes'm. Yo' pa tole me you say dat, but he reckon you done it to mek him madder, `cause you mad, too. He say he done see dat Crailey Gray comin' `long de hedge wid you."
"He was mistaken, it was Mr. Vanrevel."
Nelson rolled his eyes fervently to heaven. "Den dat young man run pintedly on he death! Ef you want keep us all dis side er de Jawdan Rivuh, don' let him set foot in dis neighbo'hood when yo' pa come back!
An', honey--" his voice sank to a penetrating whisper--" `fo' I do a lick er wu'k I goin' out in de stable an' git down on my knees an' retu'n thanksgiving to de good God `case he hole Carewe Street in de dahkness las' night!"
This was the speech he chose for his exit, but, after closing the door behind him, he opened it again, and said, cheerfully:
"Soon's I git de trunk fix f' yo' pa, I bring `roun' dat bay colt wid de side saddle. You better set `bout gittin' on yo' ridin'-habit, Missy. De roads is mighty good dis sunshiny wedduh."
" Nelson? "
"Do you think such an attack as father had this morning--is--dangerous?"
