twenty dollars you got
for that tobacco you raised?'

"'Ain' I tole you 'bout dat, Miss Sally? Dat mis'able money done skip
out an' leave thoo a hole in ma pocket,' says Uncle Jake, 'n' pulls one
of his pants pockets inside out. Sure enough, there's a big hole in it.

"'Didn't I give you a safety-pin to pin that money in your inside coat
pocket?' says Miss Goodloe.

"'Yess'm, dat's right,' he says. 'But I'se countin' de money one day
an' a span ob mules broke loose an' stahts lickety-brindle fo' de bahn,
an' aimin' to ketch de mules, I pokes de money in de pocket wid de
hole. I ain' neber see dat no-'coun' money sence.'

"Miss Goodloe looks at the ole nigger fur a minute.

"'Uncle Jake . . . oh, Uncle Jake . . .' she says. '_These_ are the
things I just _can't_ stand!' Her eyes fill up, 'n' while she bites her
lip agin, it ain't no use. Two big tears roll down her cheeks. 'I'll
see you in a moment,' she says to me, 'n' goes inside.

"'Bad times! Bad times, pow'ful bad times!' says Uncle Jake, 'n'
hobbles away a-mutterin' to hisself.

"It's begun to get under my skin right. I'm feelin' queer, 'n' I gets
to thinkin' I'd better beat it. 'Don't be a damn fool!' I says to
myself. 'You ain't had nothin' to do with the cussed business 'n' you
can't help it none. If you don't buy this colt somebody else will.'
So I sets on the edge of the porch 'n' waits. It ain't so long till
Miss Goodloe comes out again. I gets up 'n' takes off my hat.

"'What horse do you wish to buy?' she says.

"'A big chestnut colt by Calabash, dam Mary Goodloe,' I says. 'They
tell me you own him.'

"'Oh, I _can't_ sell _him_!' she says, backin' towards the door. 'No
one has ever ridden him but me.'

"'Is he fast?' I asks her.

"'Of course,' she says.

"'Is he mannered?' I asks.

"'Perfectly,' she says.

"'He ain't never seen a barrier, I suppose?' I says.

"'He's broken to the barrier,' she says then.

"'Who schools him?' I says. 'You tells me nobody's been on him but
you--'

"'I schooled him at the barrier with the other two-year-olds,' she says.

"'Whee!' I says. 'You must be able to ride some.'

"'I'd be ashamed of myself if I couldn't,' she says.

"'Are you sure you won't sell him?' I asks her.

"'Positive,' she says, 'n' I see she means it.

"'What you goin' to do with him?' I says. 'Don't you know it's wicked
not to give that colt a chance to show what he can do?'

"'I know it is,' she says. 'But I