po'k and bacon?
Ain't I lived up to the Great House fo' years an' years?"

"Of course. And Sally, that reminds me. I'm going to buy the Great
House and--make it as it was before the war!"

"Gawd!" gasped Sally.

"I shall want you to tell me exactly how it looked--you can remember?"

"Why, yes, chile!" Sally's hand paused, spoon in air. "I can see it
same as it was yesterday. That-er Yankee man they called Sheridan--he
passed up by The Way an' he stopt right on the home-place o'
Stoneledge, an' General Walden he was there, an' old Miss, an' lil'
Miss Ann--she was right little an' young then but mighty peart. I was
stayin' at the Great House then, fo' it was near the time when lil'
Miss Queenie was goin' ter be born--her as died up Norf at a
horse-pittal. Well, that-er-Yankee Sheridan he don' say to General
Walden, 'We-all is near starvin'.' Jes' like a-that! An' General
Walden he don' say, standin' upperty an' mighty, 'We-all will share
with yo', general, bein' war is war.' Then what-er-yo' think? Lil'
Miss Ann she pearked up an' says right to his face: 'Yo' can't have
Anna Isabel!' She never batted an eye when she spoke up, an' I thought
I'd bust. The Yankee he don' ax who Anna Isabel was, an' lil' Miss Ann
said right stiff, 'She be my turkey--she be our Christmas dinner.' An'
jes' then Anna Isabel stalked straight-er-way befo' dat man Sheridan
an' lil' Miss Ann pointed an' says 'There's Anna Isabel!' Well, we-all
laughed an' I will say this for that Yank, he was powerful 'spectful to
us-all. 'I'm bleeged to come in an' res' an' have a meal,' he don'
said, and then he went on with his pack totin' at his heels.

"Fo' de Lord, Sandy Morley, shet off that snortin', roarin' fire or
I'll fetch yo' a real old-time lick!"

Sandy ran to regulate the dampers, his face radiant and boyish. He was
enjoying, as he never had enjoyed anything in his life before, the dear
home-atmosphere of his hills.

Sally Taber returned to her task with energy born of appreciation.

"We'll fix the old house of Stoneledge up in great shape," Sandy said,
coming back to the table and leaning forward on his hands to follow
Sally's energetic manipulation of the gingerbread; "that ought to be
something for the rest of us to live up to. I'd like to see little
Miss Cynthia installed there as mistress!"

"Her ain't of the Walden blood----" Sally remarked, breathlessly
beating the golden brown batter. Sandy winced. "But her has c