none o' your folks, understand; an'
Cassandry, she's sorter hard hit jest now, she don't rightly know
what-all she do think. Me an' Azalie, we been speakin' right smart
together--an'--well, we do sure think a heap o' you, Doc--an' hit ain't
no disrespect to you-uns, neither. Have you said anything to her maw?"

"Not a word. When I learned another man was before me, I stood one side
as an honorable man should and gave him his chance. But when it comes to
being attacked by the other man and shot in the back-- by heaven! no
power on earth will hold me from trying to win her. As for the other
matter, never you fear. Be my friend, Hoke."

"Waal, I reckon you'll have yer own way, an' I mount as well git hit fer
ye, but I did promise Azalie 'at I'd speak that word to ye," said the
young man, rising with an air of relief.

"Tell your wife that you are both of you quite right, and that I am
right also. Just hunt up my trousers, will you? I want my pocket-book.
If I have to sign anything before anybody--bring him here. I don't care
what you do, so you get it. There, on that card you have it all--my full
name and all that, you know."

David tried to eat what Sally prepared for him, using his unbound hand;
but his egg was hard, his coffee thick and boiled. He could not drink it
very well for his head was too low, and he could not raise himself, so
he lay silent and uncomfortable, watching her move about his rooms,
wearing her great black sunbonnet. She appeared kindly and pleasant when
he could see her face, which was thin and very much lined, but motherly
and good. He fell in the way of calling her "Aunt Sally" as others did,
and this seemed to please her. She treated him as if he were a big boy
who did not know what was good for himself. She called all the green
blossoming things with which Cassandra had adorned the cabin, "trash,"
and asked who had "toted hit thar."

Waiting and listening, sure Cassandra would not leave him all day
without coming to him, even though Aunt Sally had taken him in charge,
David's mind was full of her. If he closed his eyes, he saw her. If he
opened them and watched Sally's meagre form and black sunbonnet moving
about, he thought what it might be to see Cassandra there.

He could not and would not look at the future. The picture Hoke Belew
had summoned up when he had suggested the taking of Cassandra away among
people alien to her, he put from him. He would not see it nor think of
it. The pre