r. Melanctha then went to live with the good natured woman,
who had been her neighbor. Melanctha still saw Jeff Campbell very
often. Things began to be very strong between them.

Melanctha now never wandered, unless she was with Jeff Campbell.
Sometimes she and he wandered a good deal together. Jeff Campbell
had not got over his way of talking to her all the time about all the
things he was always thinking. Melanctha never talked much, now, when
they were together. Sometimes Jeff Campbell teased her about her
not talking to him. "I certainly did think Melanctha you was a great
talker from the way Jane Harden and everybody said things to me, and
from the way I heard you talk so much when I first met you. Tell me
true Melanctha, why don't you talk more now to me, perhaps it is
I talk so much I don't give you any chance to say things to me, or
perhaps it is you hear me talk so much you don't think so much now of
a whole lot of talking. Tell me honest Melanctha, why don't you talk
more to me." "You know very well Jeff Campbell," said Melanctha "You
certainly do know very well Jeff, you don't think really much, of my
talking. You think a whole lot more about everything than I do Jeff,
and you don't care much what I got to say about it. You know that's
true what I am saying Jeff, if you want to be real honest, the way you
always are when I like you so much." Jeff laughed and looked fondly
at her. "I don't say ever I know, you ain't right, when you say things
like that to me, Melanctha. You see you always like to be talking just
what you think everybody wants to be hearing from you, and when you
are like that, Melanctha, honest, I certainly don't care very much to
hear you, but sometimes you say something that is what you are really
thinking, and then I like a whole lot to hear you talking." Melanctha
smiled, with her strong sweetness, on him, and she felt her power
very deeply. "I certainly never do talk very much when I like anybody
really, Jeff. You see, Jeff, it ain't much use to talk about what a
woman is really feeling in her. You see all that, Jeff, better, by and
by, when you get to really feeling. You won't be so ready then always
with your talking. You see, Jeff, if it don't come true what I am
saying." "I don't ever say you ain't always right, Melanctha," said
Jeff Campbell. "Perhaps what I call my thinking ain't really so very
understanding. I don't say, no never now any more, you ain't right,
Melanctha, when you r