cal crudity, but only by the man's point of view.

"So that's the way you people think of us?" he finally asked.

"Bob, hyar, says you-uns 'n' we-uns hain't no different." He had begun
calling Bob by his first name with child-like ingenuousness.

"But there is a distinction," the old gentleman insisted. "The
mountaineers are more--I might say more intense, as your act this
morning gives testimony. Altogether, I should say, as Miss Jane once put
it, that your aura is tinctured with savagery."

Dale hesitated. "I don't reckon," he said at last, "that what I did this
mawnin' war any wuss'n what you-uns war a-goin' ter do. What's aura?"

Bob burst into peals of laughter.

"I think he's got you on number one, Colonel! Now tell him what aura
is!"

But this was a knotty undertaking, and when he finished, quite
unassisted by Bob, Dale's face held a troubled look.

"If a fine man like yeou, Cunnel," he began, causing the old gentleman
to stiffen in his saddle with righteous pride, "don't know no moh'n that
'bout the English language, how, in Gawd's name, am I a-goin' ter larn?"

"Upon my word, sir! Upon my word!" the Colonel sputtered, red to the
roots of his silvery hair, "you haven't the capacity to understand, sir;
no matter how explicit I may be, sir!" And touching spur he galloped
ahead, not deigning to look at them again.

"Dale," Bob implored, trying to control his laughter, "for the love of
Mike cut 'aura' from your vocabulary! Honest, my friend, if you ever
should walk into the Colonel's drawing room in that costume and announce
that your aura is tinctured with savagery, it would be worse than
murder!"

Again the mountaineer's face became troubled; indeed, it held an
expression of childish helplessness, made so pathetic by a succeeding,
shy glance at his awkward costume of homespun, that the young planter
winced.

"That's all right," he said, contrite enough now, and giving the broad
shoulder another friendly slap. "Before long you'll be turning out
classier stuff than any of us. And we like your clothes."

"I'm a-goin' ter larn," Dale murmured through clenched teeth. "I'm
a-goin' ter larn all thar is, 'n' a whole lot moh; so help me Gawd I
will."

For awhile they rode without speaking until the Colonel was seen waiting
at a turn of the road. Then Dale asked:

"Ye reckon he meant that, 'bout me livin' with 'im?"

"'Course he meant it. He'll make you think you own the place in
twenty-four hours, and y