his
mind ag'in anger. I didn't let on about Rose and Jack, Sister Jane, but
I reckon Mr. Gaither has got his suspicions. No doubt he has got his
suspicions, Sister Jane."

"Ichabod," said Miss Jane, scratching her head with the long teeth of
her tucking-comb, "you're too old to be made a tool of. Let old Bradley
Gaither do his own buyin' and sellin'. That old scamp is deep as a
well. Them that didn't know him'd think he was sanctified; yit he's got
devilment enough in him to break the winders out 'n the meetin'-house.
Well, he needn't pester wi' Jack and Rose," Miss Jane went on; "Jack'll
never marry Rose whilst old Billy Carew is hoppin' along betwixt the
grocery and the graveyard. Lord, Lord! to think that sech a no-'count
old ereetur as that should be a-ha'ntin' the face of the earth!"

"He took to fiddlin' and drinkin' arter he was fifty year old,"
remarked the Squire.

"Yes, and the property he hain't drunk up he's fiddled away, till now
he hain't got nothin' but a passel of half-free niggers and a little
piece of land, and old Bradley Gaither is hungry for that. And that
ain't all," exclaimed Miss Jane, solemnly; "Jack is ruined, and Rose is
distracted."

"Ah!" said the Squire.

"Yes," said Miss Jane. "Trouble is always double and thribble. Rose was
here last Tuesday, and she sot by the winder there and watched Jack all
the time she stayed.

"'That's what I call courtship at long taw,' s' I.

"'Yes, Miss Jane,' se' she, 'it is, and I'm in a great deal of trouble
about Jack. I understand him, but he don't understand me,' se' she.
'He's mad because father loaned his father money and then took land to
pay for it. But I'd marry Jack,' se' she, 'if only to give him his land
back.'

"I declare!" Miss Jane continued, "'twould 'a' melted airy heart in the
universe to see that child blushin' and cryin', I went and stood by her
and put my arms round her, and I says to her, s' I--

"'Don't you fret, honey, don't you fret. Old Billy Carew is full of
capers and vain babblin's,' s' I, 'and your pappy is puffed up by his
fleshly mind; but the Almighty, he's a-watching' 'em. He'll fetch 'em
up wi' a round turn,' s' I; 'He knows how to deal wi' unreasonable and
wicked men.' I said them very words."

"Saint Paul said 'em before you, Sister Jane, but you said 'em right,--
you said 'em right," exclaimed Squire Inchly, heartily.

"Well, I don't set up to judge nobody, but I don't need no spyglass to
see what's right in