"
And here the old woman got down a bottle of grease. "That's ile from a
black dog. Ef it's rendered right, it'll knock the hind sights off of
any rheumatiz you ever see. But it must be rendered in the dark of the
moon. Else a black dog's ile a'n't worth no more nor a white one's."

And all this time Small was smelling of the uncorked bottle, taking a
little on his finger and feeling of it, and thus feeling his way to the
heart--drier than her herbs--of the old witch. And then he went round
the cabin gravely, lifting each separate bunch of dried yarbs from its
nail, smelling of it, and then, by making an interrogation-point of his
silent face, he managed to get a lecture from her on each article in her
_materia medica_> with the most marvelous stories illustrative of their
virtues. When the Granny had got her fill of his silent flattery, he was
ready to carry forward his main purpose.

There was something weird about this silent man's ability to turn the
conversation as he chose to have it go. Sitting by the Granny's
tea-table, nibbling corn-bread while he drank his glass of water, having
declined even her sassafras, he ceased to stimulate her medical talk and
opened the vein of gossip. Once started, Granny Sanders was sure to
allude to the robbery. And once on the robbery the doctor's course was
clear.

"I 'low somebody not fur away is in this 'ere business!"

Not by a word, nor even by a nod, but by some motion of the eyelids,
perhaps, Small indicated that he agreed with her.

"Who d'ye s'pose 'tis?"

But Dr. Small was not in the habit of supposing. He moved his head in a
quiet way, just the least perceptible bit, but so that the old creature
understood that he could give light if he wanted to.

"I dunno anybody that's been 'bout here long as could be suspected."

Another motion of the eyelids indicated Small's agreement with this
remark.

"They a'n't nobody come in here lately 'ceppin' the master."

Small looked vacantly at the wall.

"But I low he's allers bore a tip-top character."

The doctor was too busy looking at his corn-bread to answer this remark
even by a look.

"But I think these oversmart young men'll bear looking arter, _I_ do."

Dr. Small raised his eyes and let them _shine_ an assent. That was all.

"Shouldn't wonder ef our master was overly fond of gals."

Doctor looks down at his plate.

"Had plenty of sweethearts afore he walked home with Hanner Thomson
t'other night, I'll bet."