another chicken in yo' way?"

"No, sah, dat ain't whut I want. I wuz er cuttin' some wood dis mawnin'
ober at de Peters' place, an' I yere some talk dat don't soun' like er
flute. 'Pear like dat white man has got some trouble in his head fur
you."

"Yes, I know."

"An, frum whut I coul' gather he gwine gib it ter you; an' ef you wants
me ter I'll he'p you tie him ter er tree an' w'ar him out."

"No, that won't do. But do you know whether or not he has got a
app'intment from off yander at Nashville? Did you hear?"

"I doan think it quite got yere yit, but he keep on er lookin' down de
road 'spectin' it to come erlaung at any minit. Ef you want me ter, suh,
I'll keep er lookout while I's er workin' roun' de place, an' knock him
in de head de minit it do come."

"No, you musn't do that. Is he expectin' some help?"

"He wuz er talkin' erbout some men, sah. You ain't got no cullud ladies
ober at yo' house now, is you?"

"No, an' I don't want any mo' for none could take the place of old
mammy."

"No, sah, I reckons not, but I wuz jest er thinkin' dat ef you had any
dar I would drap ober a visitin'. I's allus sorter s'ciety struck atter
I goes ter er funul. It's den dat I kin fetch 'em wid my talk. It's easy
ter out-talk er lady atter er funul. I's had 'em take down er ole glove
an' empty dar money in my han'."

"What's your name?"

"Da calls me Ham, suh."

"Well, Ham, I reckon thar's a good deal of the scoundrel about you."

"Ain't it funny suh, dat I's yered dat befo'? Yas, suh; but scounnul or
not, I'll keep er sharp lookout on dat man Peters an' come an' tell you
ef suthin' happen."

Lou was tearful and depressed over the death of the old woman, whom she
had loved, who indeed was as a gentle grandmother to her, and going home
from the burial had but little to say; and Tom, respecting what to him
was a strange grief, walked along in silence. And for the most part Jim
was silent, too, but Mrs. Mayfield was aroused by what she had seen and
heard. "Every day this rugged world up here presents something new, Mr.
Reverend. Instead of becoming more able to compare it with other places
I have known, it is further and further removed as time passes. Of
course I had read books and heard songs, but never before coming here
did I believe that in real slavery had there existed poetry."

"They tell me, ma'm, that the greatest poetry has come out of the dark,"
he replied, walking with his eyes cast down.

"Then even