lo. "He didn't do no sich."

"Oh, yes, he did, Miss Clorindy; dese eyes seen it."

"Wal, he was a axin' me if I was gwine to come to meetin' more reg'lar
dan I had ob late."

"It took him a great while to ax," said Dolf, in a reproachful voice.

Clo laughed a little chuckling laugh.

"He's a bery pleasant man, de elder," said she; "bery pleasant."

"Dey say he wants a wife," observed Dolf.

"Do dey! Mebby he do; anyway he hain't told me dat."

"But he will, Clorindy, he will!"

"Tain't no ways likely; don' 'spec I shall knows much bout it!"

"Oh, yes, yer will," insisted Dolf.

He was serious, and Clo began to grow dizzy at the thought of so many
conquests crowding upon her at once.

"I jis' b'lieve he's a sarpint in disguise," said Dolf, with great
energy; "one ob de wust kind of old he ones."

"Laws, Mr. Dolf, don't say sich things; he's a shinin' light in de
sanctumary, I'se certain."

"It's a light I'd like to squinch," cried Dolf, "and if he pokes himself
into my moonshine I'll do it."

Clo gave a shrill scream, and caught his arm, as if she feared that he
was intending to rush forth in search of the elder, and put his menace
into instant execution.

"Don't kick up a muss wid him," she pleaded: "why should yer?"

"It 'pends on yer, Miss Clorindy, yer know; de 'couragement yer've ben a
givin' him is 'nuff to drive yer admirers out o' der senses."

"Oh, dear me, I neber heerd sich audacious nonsense!" said Clo.

"It's true," answered Dolf, "an' yer knows it. But ye're received in dat
man, Miss Clorindy, yer is! He's got both eyes fixed on de glitterin'
dross. I've heerd him talk 'bout de fortin yer had, an' how it wud set a
pusson up, an' what good he might do wid it 'mong de heathen."

Clo gave another scream, but this time it was a cry of indignation and
wrath.

"Spend my money 'mong de heathen!" she cried. "I'd like to see him do
it! comes 'bout me I'll pull his old wool fur him, I will."

Dolf smiled at the success of his falsehood, and made ready to clench
the nail after driving it in.

"Dat's what he tinks anyhow. Why, Miss Clorindy, he was a tryin' ter
find out jist how much yer was wuth."

"'Taint nobody's business but my own," cried Clo, angrily, "folks
needn't be a pumpin' me; 'taint no use."

"Jis' what I've allers said," remarked Dolf, with great earnestness;
"sich secrets, says I, is Miss Clorindy's own."

"Yes, dey be," said Clo, holding on to the sides of her stool as ti