ROSE OF OLD HARPETH

[Illustration: Rose Mary]

ROSE OF

OLD HARPETH

BY MARIA THOMPSON DAVIESS

Author of "Miss Selina Lue, " "The Road to Providence, ""The Melting of Molly, " etc. 

[Illustration]

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

By W. B. KING

A. L. BURT COMPANY

PUBLISHERS NEW YORK

1911

THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY

I DEDICATE

ROSE MARY

TO MY MOTHER

LEONORA HAMILTON DAVIESS

AND THE WHOLE BOOK

TO MY GRANDMOTHER

MARIA THOMPSON DAVIESS

ROSE OF OLD HARPETH

CHAPTER I

ROSE MARY OF SWEETBRIAR

"Why, don't you know nothing in the world compliments a loaf of breadlike the asking for a fourth slice, " laughed Rose Mary as she reachedup on the stone shelf above her head and took down a large crusty loafand a long knife. "Thick or thin?" she asked as she raised her lashesfrom her blue eyes for a second of hospitable inquiry. 

"Thin, " answered Everett promptly, "but two with the butter sticking'em together. Please be careful with that weapon! It's as good as ajuggler's show to watch you, but it makes me slightly--solicitous. " Ashe spoke he seated himself on the corner of the wide stone table asnear to Rose Mary and the long knife as seemed advisable. A ray ofsunlight fell through the door of the milk-house and cut across hisred head to lose itself in Rose Mary's close black braids. 

"Make it four, " he further demanded over the table. 

"Indeed and I will, " answered Rose Mary delightedly. And as she spokeshe held the loaf against her breast and drew the knife through theslices in a fascinatingly dangerous manner. At the intentness of hisregard the color rose up under the lashes that veiled her eyes, andshe hugged the loaf closer with her left hand. "Would you like six?"she asked innocently, as the fourth stroke severed the last piece. 

"Just go on and slice it all up, " he answered with a laugh. "I'drather watch you than eat. "

"Wait till I butter these for you and then you can eat--and watchme--me finish working the butter. Won't that do as well? Think what anencouragement your interest will be to me! Really, nothing in theworld paces a woman's work like a man looking on, and if he doesn'tstop her she'll drop under the line. Now, you have your bread andbutter and you can sit over there by the door and help me turn offthis ten pounds in no time. "

As she had been speaking, Rose Mary had spread two of the slices withthe yellow butter from a huge bowl in front of her, clapped on thetops of the sandwiches and then, with a smile, handed them in a blueplate to the man who lounged across the corner of her table. She madea very gracious and lovely picture, did Rose Mary, in her light-bluehomespun gown against the cool gray depths of the milk-house, whichwas fern-lined along the cracks of the old stones and mysterious withthe trickling gurgle of the spring that flowed into the long stonetroughs, around the milk crocks and out under the stone door-sill. From his post by the door Everett watched her as she drove her paddledeep into the hard golden mound in the blue bowl in front of her, and, with a quick turn of her strong, slender wrist slapped and pattedchunk after chunk of the butter into a more compressed form. Thesleeves of her dress were rolled almost to her shoulders and under thewhite, moist flesh of her arms the fine muscles showed plainly. Thestrong curves of her back and shoulders bent and sprung under thegraceful sweep of her arms and her round breasts rose and fell withquickened breath from her energetic movements. 

"Now, you're making me work _too_ hard, " she laughed; and she pantedas she rested her hand for a second against the edge of the bowl andlooked up at Everett from under a black tendril curl that had fallendown across her forehead. 

"Miss Rose Mary Alloway, you are one large, husky--witch, " calmlyremarked the hungry man as he finished disposing of the last half ofone of the thin bread and butters. "Here I sit enchanted by--by abutter-paddle, when you and I both know that not two miles across themeadows there runs a train that ought to put me into New York in alittle over forty-eight hours. Won't you, won't you let me go--back tomy frantic and imploring employers?"

"Why no, I can't, " answered Rose Mary as she pressed a yellow cake ofbutter on to a blue plate and deftly curled it up with her paddle intoa huge yellow sunflower. "Uncle Tucker captured you roaming loose outin his fields and he trusts you to me while he is at work and I mustkeep you safe. He's fond of you and so are the Aunties and StonewallJackson and Shoofly and Sniffer and--"

"And anybody else?" demanded Everett, preparing to dispose of the lastbite. 

"Oh, everybody most along Providence Road, " answered Rose Maryenthusiastically, though not raising her eyes from the manipulation ofthe third butter flower. "Can't you go out and dig up some more rocksand things? I feel sure you haven't got a sample of all of them. Andthere may be gold and silver and precious jewels just one inch deeperthan you have dug. Are you certain you can't squeeze up some oilsomewhere in the meadow? You told a whole lot of reasons to UncleTucker why you knew you would find some, and now you'll have to stayto prove yourself. "

"No, " answered Mark Everett quietly, and, as he spoke, he raised hiseyes and looked at Rose Mary keenly; "no, there is no oil that I candiscover, though the formation, as I explained to your uncle, is justas I expected to find it. I've spent three weeks going over every inchof the Valley and I can't find a trace of grease. I'm sorry. "

"Well, I don't know that I care, except for your sake, " answered RoseMary unconcernedly, with her eyes still on her task. "We don't any ofus like the smell of coal-oil, and it gives Aunt Viney asthma. Itwould be awfully disagreeable to have wells of it right here on theplace. They'd be so ugly and smelly. "

"But oil-wells mean--mean a great deal of wealth, " ventured Everett. 

"I know, but just think of the money Uncle Tucker gets for this butterI make from the cows that graze on the meadows. Wouldn't it be awfulif they should happen to drink some of the coal-oil and make thebutter we send down to the city taste wrong and spoil the Sweetbriarreputation? I like money though, most awfully, and I want some rightnow. I want to--"

"Mary of the Rose, stop right there!" said Everett as he came overfrom his post by the door and again seated himself on the corner ofthe table. "I _will_ not listen to you give vent to the nationalcraving. I _will_ hold on to the illusion of having found oneunmercenary human being, even if she had to be buried in the depths ofHarpeth Valley to keep her so. " There was banter in Everett's voiceand a smile on his lips, but a bitterness lay in the depths of hiskeen dark eyes and an ugly trace of cynicism filtered through thetones of his voice. 

"And wasn't it funny for me to count the little well-chickens beforethey were even hatched?" laughed Rose Mary. "That's the way of it, gettogether even a little flock of dollars in prospect and they go rightto work hatching out a brood of wants and needs; but it's not wrong ofme to want those false teeth so bad, because it's such a trial to haveyour mouth all sink in and not be able to talk plain and--"

"Help, woman! What are you talking about? I never saw such teeth asyou have in all my life. One flash of them would put a beauty show outof business and--"

"Oh, no, not for myself!" Rose Mary hastened to exclaim, and sheturned the whole artillery of the pearl treasures upon him in mirth athis mistake. "It's Aunt Viney I want them for. She only has five left. She says she didn't mind so long as she had any two that hit, but thehitters to all five are gone now and she is so distressed. I'm savingup to take her down to the city to get a brand new set. I have elevendollars now and two little bull calves to sell, though it breaks myheart to let them go, even if they are of the wrong persuasion. Ialways love them better than I do the little heifers, because I haveto give them up. I don't like to have things I love go away. You seeyou mustn't think of going to New York until the spring is all overand summer comes for good, " she continued, with the most delightfulingenuousness, as she shaped the last of the ten flowers and glancedfrom her task at him with the most solicitous concern. "Of course, youfeel as if the smash your lung got in that awful rock slide has healedall up, and I know it has, but you'll have to do as the doctor tellsyou about not running any risks with New York spring gales, won'tyou?"

"Oh, yes, I suppose I will, " answered Everett, with a trace ofrestlessness in his voice. "I'm just as sound as a dollar now and I'mwild to go with that gang the firm is sending up into British Columbiato thrash out that copper question. I know they counted on me for thefinal tests. Some other fellow will find it and get the fortune andthe credit, while I--I--"

He stared moodily out the door of the milk-house and down ProvidenceRoad that wound its calm, even way from across the ridge down throughthe green valley. Rose Mary's milk-house was nestled between thebreasts of a low hill, upon which was perched the wide-winged, oldcountry house which had brooded the fortunes of the Alloways since thewilderness days. The spring which gushed from the back wall of themilk-house poured itself into a stone trough on the side of the Road, which had been placed there generations agone for the refreshment ofbeast, while man had been entertained within the hospitable stonewalls. And at the foot of the Briars, as the Alloway home, hill, spring and meadows had been called from time immemorial, clustered thelittle village of Sweetbriar. 

The store, which also sheltered the post-office, was almost oppositethe spring-house door across the wide Road, the blacksmith shopfarther down and the farm-houses stretched fraternally along eitherside in both directions. Far up the Road, as it wound its way aroundProvidence Nob, could be seen the chimneys and the roofs ofProvidence, while Springfield and Boliver also lay like smoke-wreathedvisions in the distance. Something of the peace and plenty of it allhad begun to smooth the irritated wrinkle from between Mark Everett'sbrows, when Rose Mary's hand rested for a second over his on the tableand her rich voice, with its softest brooding note, came from acrossher bowl. 

"Ah, I know it's hard for you, Mr. Mark, " she said, "and I wish--Iwish--The lilacs will be in bloom next week, won't that help some?"And the wooing tone in her voice was exactly what she used in coaxingyoung Stonewall Jackson to bed or Uncle Tucker to tie up his throat ina flannel muffler. 

"It's not lilacs I'm needing with a rose in bloom right--" ButEverett's gallant response to the coaxing was cut short by a sallyfrom an unexpected quarter. 

Down Providence Road at full tilt came Stonewall Jackson, with theSwarm in a cloud of dust at his heels. He jumped across the springbranch and darted in under the milk-house eaves, while the Swarm drewup on the other bank in evident impatience. Swung bundle-wise underhis arm he held a small, tow-headed bunch, and as he landed on thestone door-sill he hastily deposited it on the floor at Rose Mary'sfeet. 

"Say, Rose Mamie, " he panted, "you just keep Shoofly for us a littlewhile, won't you? Mis' Poteet have done left her with Tobe to takecare of and he put her on a stump while he chased a polecat that hefell on while it was going under a fence, and now Uncle Tuck isa-burying of him up in the woods lot. Jest joggle her with your footthis way if she goes to cry. " And in demonstration of his directionsthe General put one bare foot in the middle of the mite's back andadministered a short series of rotary motions, which immediatelybrought a response of ecstatic gurgles. "We'll come back for her assoon as we dig him up, " he added, as he prepared for another flyingleap across the spring stream. 

"But, Stonie, wait and tell me what you mean!" exclaimed Rose Mary, while Everett regarded Stonewall Jackson and his cohorts withdelighted amusement. 

"I told you once, Rose Mamie, that Tobe fell on a polecat under afence he was a-chasing, and he smells so awful Uncle Tuck have burnedhis britches and shirt on the end of a stick and have got him buriedin dirt up to jest his nose. Burying in dirt is the onliest thingthat'll take off the smell. We comed to ask you to watch Shoofly whilehe's buried, cause Mis' Poteet will be mad at him when she comes homeif Shoofly smells. We're all a-going to stay right by him until he'sdug up, 'cause we all sicked him on that polecat and we ought inhonor!"

Stonie looked at the Swarm for confirmation of this worthy sentiment, and it arose in a murmur. The Swarm was a choice congregation of smallfry that trailed perpetually at the heels of Stonewall Jackson, and atthe moment was in a state of seething excitement. Jennie Rucker'slittle freckled face was pale under its usual sunburn, as a result ofbeing too near the disastrous encounter, and her little nose, turnedup by nature in the outset, looked as if it were in danger of neveragain assuming its normal tilt. She held small Pete by one chubbyhand, and with a wry face he was licking out an absurd little redtongue at least twice each moment, as if uncertain as to whether hisolfactory or gustatory nerves had been offended. Billy was standingwith the nonchalant unconcern of one strong of stomach, and the fourother little Poteets, ranging in size from Shoofly, on the floor, toTobe, the buried, were shuffling their bare feet in the dust withevident impatience to be off to gloat over the prostrated butimportant member of the family. They rolled their wide eyes at almostimpossible angles, and small Peggy sniffed audibly into a corner ofher patched gingham apron. 

"Yes, Stonie, " answered Rose Mary judicially, while Everett'sshoulders shook with mirth that he felt it best not to give way to inthe face of the sympathetic Swarm, "you all must stay with Tobe, if hehas to be buried, and go right back as fast as you can. Troubles mustmake us stay close by our friends. "

"If I get much closer to him I'll throw up, " sniffed Jennie, and herprotest was echoed by a groan from Peggy into the apron, while thearea which showed above its folds turned white at the prospect ofbeing obliged to draw near to this brother in affliction. 

"Yes, but you sicked Tobe, with the rest of us, and in this _girls_don't count. You've got to go back, smell or no smell, sick or nosick, " announced the General firmly, in the decisive tones of oneaccustomed to be obeyed. 

"Yes, Stonie, " came in a meek and muffled tone from the apron, "we'llgo back with you. "

"Can't we just set on the fence of the lot--it ain't so far?" pleadedJennie in almost a wail. "I'm afraid Pete will cry from the smell ifwe go any closter. He's most doing it now. "

"Yes, General, let the girls sit on the fence, " pleaded Everett, withhis eyes dancing, but a bit of mockery in his voice, "after all theyare--girls, you know. "

"Oh, well, yes, they can, " answered Stonewall Jackson in amagnanimously disgusted tone of voice. "They always get girls whenthey don't want to do anything. Come on, Tobe'll be crying if we don'thurry. Billy, you help Jennie drag Pete, so he can go fast!"

But during the conference the disgusted toddler had been pondering thesituation, and at this mention of his being dragged back to the sceneof offense he had made a quick sally across the plank that spanned thespring branch and with masculine intuition as to the safe place intime of danger, he had plunged head foremost into Rose Mary's skirts, so that only his small fat back showed to the enemy. 

"Please go on, Stonie, and leave him with me--he's just a baby, "pleaded Rose Mary. 

"All right, " answered the General, "Tobe don't care about him; he'djust make us go slow, " and thus dropping young Peter into the categoryof impedimenta, the General departed at top speed, surrounded, as hecame, by the loyal Swarm. On the day of his birth Aunt Viney's choicefor a name for the General had balanced for some hours between thatof the redoubtable Abner the Valiant, of old Testament fame, and herfavorite modern hero, Jackson of the stonewall nature. And in herfinal choice she had seemed so to impress the infant that he haddeveloped more than a little of the nature of his patron commander. Atall times Stonie commanded the Swarm, and also at all times wasstrictly obeyed. 

Then seeing herself thus deserted by her companions, Shoofly began alow, musical hum of a wail and walled large eyes up at Everett, atwhose feet she was seated. In instant sympathetic response he appliedthe toe of his shoe to the small of the whimpering tot's back andproceeded awkwardly, though with the best intentions in the world, tofollow the General's directions as to pacification. Rose Mary laughedas she took a tin-cup from a nail in the wall, and filling it withmilk from one of the crocks, she knelt at the side of the deserted oneand held the brim to the red lips of Shoofly's generous mouth. With aseries of gurgles and laps the consoling draft was quickly consumedand the whimperer left by this double ministration in a state ofplacid contentment. 

Peter the wise had stood viewing these attentions to the other babywith stolid imperturbability, but as Rose Mary turned away to hertable he licked out his pink tongue and bobbed his head toward themilk crocks, while his solemn eyes conveyed his desire without words. Peter's vocabulary was both new and limited, and he was at all timesextremely careful against any wastefulness of it. His lips quivered asif in uncertainty as to whether he was to be left out of this lacticdeal, and his eyes grew reproachful. 

"Why, man alive, did you think I had forgotten you!" exclaimed RoseMary as she turned with the cup to one of the crocks standing in thewater, at the sight of which motion relief dawned in the serious eyesof the young petitioner. Filling the cup swiftly, she lifted theyoungster in her arms and came over to sit in the door beside Shooflyat Everett's feet. With dignified deliberation Peter began to consumehis draft in slow gulps, and after each one he lifted his eyes to RoseMary's face as if rendering courteous appreciation for the consumedportion. His chubby fingers were clasped around her wrist as she heldthe cup for him, and her other hand cuddled one of his bare, briar-scratched knees. The picture had its instituted effect onEverett, and he bent toward the little group in the doorway and restedhis elbows on his knees as his world-restless eyes softened and thelines around his mouth melted into a smile. 

"Rose Mary, " he said with an almost abashed note in his deep voice, "we'll dispense with the lilacs--they're not needed as retainers, andI don't deserve them. "

"But being good will bring you the lilacs of life; whether you thinkyou deserve them or not, I'm afraid it's inevitable, " answered RoseMary, as she smiled up at him with instant appreciation of his changeof mood. 

"Well, I'll try it this once and see what happens, " answered Everettwith a laugh. "Indeed, I'm ashamed of having shown you any impatienceat all--to think of impatience in this heaven country of hospitalityamounts to positive sacrilege. Shrive me--and then bring on yourlilacs!"

"Then you'll stay with us until it's safe for you to go North and Iwon't have to worry about you any more?" exclaimed Rose Mary, delighted, as she beamed up over Pete's tow-head that had dropped withrepletion on her breast. Shoofly, who, true to her appellation, hadbeen making funny little dabs of delight at a fly or two which hadbuzzed in her direction, had crawled nearer and burrowed her headunder Rose Mary's knee, rolled over on her little stomach and goneinstantaneously and exhaustedly to sleep. Rose Mary adjusted asmothering fold of her dress and continued in her rejoicing overEverett's surrender to circumstance inevitable. 

"And do you think you can dig some more in the fields? Don't happinessand hoe mean the same thing to most men?" she questioned with a laugh. 

"Yes, hoe to the death and the devil take the last man at the end ofthe row, fortune to the first!" answered Everett with a return of hiscynical look and tone. 

"Oh, but in the world some men just go along and chop down ugly weeds, stir up the good, smelly earth for things to grow in, reach over tohelp the man in the next furrow if he needs it, and all come home atsundown together--and the women have the supper ready. That's the kindof hoeing I want you to do--please dig me up those teeth for AuntViney and I'll have johnny-cake and fried chicken waiting for youevery night. Please, sir, promise!" And Rose Mary's voice sounded itscoaxing, comforting note, while her deep eyes brooded over him. 

"I promise, " answered Everett with a laugh. "I tell you what I think Iwill do. As I understand it, the Briars has about three hundred acres, all told. I have been all over it for the oil and there is none in anypaying quantities. But in this kind of formation any number of otherthings may crop up or out. I am going to go over every acre of itcarefully and find exactly what can be expected of it. There may benothing of any value in a mineral way, but as I go I am going to makesoil tests, and then put it all down on a complete map and figure outjust what your Uncle Tucker ought to plant in each place for years tocome. It will kill a lot of time, and then it might be doing somethingfor you dear people, who have taken a miserable, cross invalid of astranger man in out of the wet and made a well chap of him again. 

"Do you know what you have done for me? That day when I had trampedover from Boliver just to get away from the Citizens' Hotel and myselfand perched upon Mr. Alloway's north lot fence like a miserablefuneral crow, I had reached my limit, and my spirit had turned itsface to the wall. I had been down South six weeks and couldn't seethat I felt one bit stronger. I had just heard of this copperexpedition from one of the chaps, who had written me a heedlesslyexultant letter about it, and I was down and out and no strength leftto fight. I was too weak to take it like a man, and couldn't make upmy mind to cry like a woman, though I wanted to. Just as it was at itsworst your Uncle Tucker appeared on the other side of the fence, andwhen he looked at me with those great, heaven-big eyes of his I fellover into his arms with a funny, help-has-come dying gasp. As youknow, when I woke I was anchored in the middle of that puffy oldfour-poster in my room under the blessed roof of the Briars and youwere pouring something glorious and hot down my throat, while thewonderful old angel-man in the big gray hat, who had got me out in thefield, was flapping his wings around on the other side of the pillows. I went to sleep under your very hands--and I haven't waked upyet--except in ugly, impatient ways. I never want to. "

"I wonder what you would be like--awake?" said Rose Mary softly, asshe gently lowered the head of young Peter down into the hollow of herarm, where, in close proximity to Shoofly's, he nodded off into thedepths. "I think I'm afraid to try waking you. I'm always so happywhen Aunt Viney has snuffed away her asthma with jimson weed and gotdown on her pillow, and I have rubbed all her joints; when the Generalhas said his prayers without stopping to argue in the middle, andUncle Tucker has finished his chapter and pipe in bed without settingus all on fire, that I regard people asleep as in a most blessedcondition. Won't you please try and stay happy, tucked away fast hereat the Briars, without wanting to wake up and go all over New York, when I won't know whether you are getting cold or hungry or wet or apain in your lungs?"

"Again I promise! Just wake me enough to go out and hoe for you is allI ask--your row and your kind of hoeing. "

"Maybe hoeing in my row will make you finish your own in fine style, "laughed Rose Mary. "And I think it's wonderful of you to study up ourland so Uncle Tucker can do better with it. We never seem to be ableto make any more than just the mortgage interest, and what we'll wearwhen the trunks in the garret are empty I don't see. We'll have togrow feathers. Things like false teeth just seem to be impossible. "

"Do you mean to tell me that the Briars is seriously encumbered?"demanded Everett, with a quick frown showing between his brows and abusiness-keen look coming into his eyes. 

"The mortgage on the Briars covers it as completely as the vines onthe wall, " answered Rose Mary quickly, with a humorous quirk at hermouth that relieved the note of pain in her voice. "I know we cannever pay it, but if something could be done to keep it for the oldfolks _always_, I think Stonie and I could stand it. They were bornhere and their roots strike deep and twine with the roots of everytree and bush at the Briars. Their graves are over there behind thestone wall, and all their joys and sorrows have come to them alongProvidence Road. I am not unhappy over it, because I know that theirMaster isn't going to let anything happen to take them away. Everynight before I go to sleep I just leave them to Him until I can wakeup in the morning to begin to keep care of them for Him again. It wasall about--"

"Wait a minute, let me ask you some questions before you tell me anymore, " said Everett, quickly covering the sympathy that showed in hiseyes with his business tone of voice. "Is it Gideon Newsome who holdsthis mortgage?"

"Why, yes, how did you know?" asked Rose Mary with a mild surprise inher eyes as she raised them to his, bent intently on her. "UncleTucker had to get the money from him six years ago. It--it was a debtof honor--he--we had to pay. " A rich crimson spread itself over RoseMary's brow and cheeks and flooded down her white neck under the foldsof her blue dress across her breast. Tears rose to her eyes, but shelifted her head proudly and looked him straight in the face. "There isa reason why I would give my life--why I do and must give my life toprotecting them from the consequences of the disaster. No sacrifice istoo great for me to make to save their home for them. "

"Do you mind telling me how much the mortgage is for?" asked Everett, still in his cool, thoughtful voice. 

"For ten thousand dollars, " answered Rose Mary. "The land is worthreally less than fifteen. Nobody but such a--such a friend as Mr. Newsome would have loaned Uncle Tucker so much. He--he has been verykind to us. I--I am very grateful to him and I--" Rose Mary falteredand dropped her eyes. A tear trembled on the edge of her black lashesand then splashed on to the chubby cheek of Peter the reposer. 

"I see, " said Everett coolly, and a flint tone made his usually richvoice harsh and tight. For a few minutes he sat quietly looking RoseMary over with an inscrutable look in his eyes that finally fadedagain into the utter world weariness. "I see--and so the bargain andsale goes on even on Providence Road under Old Harpeth. But the oldpeople will never have to give up the Briars while you are here to paythe price of their protection, Rose Mary. Never!"

"I don't believe they will--my faith in Him makes me sure, " answeredRose Mary with lovely unconsciousness as she raised large, comfortedeyes to Everett's. "I don't know how I'm going to manage, but somehowmy cup of faith seems to get filled each day with the wine of courageand the result is mighty apt to be a--song. " And Rose Mary's faceblushed out again into a flowering of smiles. 

"A sort of cup of heavenly nectar, " answered Everett with an answeringsmile, but the keen look still in his eyes. "See here, I want you topromise me something--don't ever, under any circumstances, tellanybody that I know about this mortgage. Will you?"

"Of course, I won't if you tell me not to, " answered Rose Maryimmediately. "I don't like to think or talk about it. I only told youbecause you wanted to help us. Help offers are the silver linings totrouble clouds, and you brought this one down on yourself, didn't you?Of course, it's selfish and wrong to tell people about your anxieties, but there is just no other way to get so close to a friend. Don't youthink perhaps sometimes the Lord doesn't bother to 'temper the winds, 'but just leads you up on the sheltered side of somebody who isstronger than you are and leaves you there until your storm is over?"

CHAPTER II

THE FOLKS-GARDEN

"Well, " said Uncle Tucker meditatively, "I reckon a festibul on abirthday can be taken as a kind of compliment to the Lord and nospecial glorification to yourself. He instuted your first one Himself, and I see no harm in jest a-marking of the years He sends you. Whatare Sister Viney's special reasons against the junket?"

"Oh, I don't know what makes Aunt Viney feel this way!" exclaimed RoseMary with distress in her blue eyes that she raised to Uncle Tucker's, that were bent benignly upon her as she stood in the barn door besidehim. "She says that as the Lord has granted her her fourscore years byreason of great strength, she oughtn't to remind Him that He hasforgotten her by having an eighty-second birthday. Everybody inSweetbriar has been looking forward to it for a week, and it was goingto be such a lovely party. What shall we do? She says she just won'thave it, and Aunt Amandy is crying when Aunt Viney don't see it. She'smade up her mind, and I don't know what more to say to her. "

"Rose Mary, " said Uncle Tucker, with a quizzical smile quirking at thecorners of his mouth, "mighty often the ingredient of permanency isleft out in the making up of a woman's mind, one way or another. Can'tyou kinder pervail with your Aunt Viney some? I've got a real hankerafter this little birthday to-do. Jest back her around to another viewof the question with a slack plow-line. Looks like it's too bad to--"

"Rose Mary, oh, Rose Mary, where are ye, child?" came a call in ahigh, sweet old quaver of a voice from down the garden path, and MissAmanda hove in sight, hurrying along on eager but tottering littlefeet. Her short, skimpy, gray skirts fluttered in the spring breezesand her bright, old eyes peered out from the gray shawl she held overher head with tremulous excitement. She was both laughing and pantingas Rose Mary threw her arm around her and drew her into the door ofthe barn. "Sister Viney has consented in her mind about the party, allalong of a verse I was just now a-reading to her in our morninglesson. Saint Luke says: '_It is meet that we should make merry and beglad, for this thy brother was dead and is alive again_, ' and at thesame minute the recollection of how sick Mr. Mark has been hit usboth. 'There now, ' she says, 'you folks can jest go on with that partyto-day for the benefit of our young brother Everett's coming to sogood after all his sufferings. This time I will consider it asinstituted of the Lord, but don't nobody say birthday next April, ifI'm here, on no account whatever. ' I take it as a special leading tome to have read that verse this morning to Sister Viney, and won'tyou please go over and tell Sally Rucker to go on with the cake, RoseMary? Sister Viney called Jennie over by sun-up, when she took thisnotion, and told her to tell her mother not to make it, even if shehad already broke all the sixteen eggs. "

"Yes, Aunt Amandy, I'll run over and tell Mrs. Rucker, and then wewill begin right away to get things ready. I am so glad Aunt Vineyis--"

"Rose Mamie, Rose Mamie, " came another loud hail from up the pathtoward the house and down came the General at top speed, with a plumysetter frisking in his wake. "Aunt Viney says for you to come there toher this minute. They is a-going to be the party and it's right by theBible to have it, some for Mr. Mark, too. Tobe Poteet said 'shoo' whenI told him he couldn't come, 'cause they wasn't a-going to be no partyon account of worrying the Lord about forgetting Aunt Viney, and Iwas jest a-going to knock him into stuffings, 'cause they can'tnobody say 'shoo' at the Bible or Aunt Viney neither, to me, whenthere Aunt Viney called for us to go tell everybody that the party wasa-going off and be sure and come. I believe God let her call me beforeI hit Tobe, 'cause I ain't never hit him yet, and maybe now I neverwill have to. " The General paused, and an expression of devoutthankfulness came into his small face at thus being saved thenecessity of administering chastisement to his henchman, Tobe theadventurous. 

"I believe he did, Stonie, and how thankful I am, " exclaimed littleMiss Amanda, with real relief at this deliverance of young Tobe, whowas her especial, both self-elected and chosen, knight from theGeneral's cohorts. 

"Yes'm, " answered Stonie. "Come on now, Rose Mamie! Put your hand onme, Aunt Amandy, and I'll go slow with you, " and presenting his sturdylittle shoulder to Miss Amanda on one side and drawing Rose Maryalong with him on the other, Stonewall Jackson hurried them both awayto the house. 

"Well, " remarked Uncle Tucker to himself as he took up a measure ofgrain from a bin in the corner of the feed-room and scattered some infront of a row of half-barrel nests upon which brooded a dozencomplacent setting hens, "well, if the Lord has to pester with theaffairs of Sweetbriar to the extent Stonie and the sisters, Rose Mary, too, are a-giving Him the credit of doing looks like we might bea-getting more'n our share of His attentions. I reckon by the time Hegets all the women and children doings settled up for the day He findssome of the men have slipped the bridle and gone. That would accountfor some of these here wild covortings around in the world we hearabout by the newspapers. But He'll git 'em some day sure as--"

"Am I interrupting any confidence between you and the Mrs. Biddies, Mr. Alloway?" asked Everett, as he stood in the barn door with a panin one hand and a bucket in the other. 

"No, oh, no, " answered Uncle Tucker with a laugh. "I was jestremarking how the Almighty had the lasso of His love around the neckof all the wild young asses a-galloping over the world and would throw'em in His own time. Well, I hear you're a-going to get a sochulbaptism into Sweetbriar along about a hour before sundown. Better partyour hair in the middle and get some taller for your shoes. "

"I will, most assuredly, if that's what's expected of me for theceremony, " answered Everett with a delightful laugh. "Here's a pan ofdelicacies for the hens, and this bucket is for you to bring someshelled corn for Miss Rose Mary to parch for them, when you come tothe house. "

"I'm not a-counting on going any time soon, " answered Uncle Tuckerwith a shrewd glance up at Everett as he came and stood in thedoorway beside the tall young man, who lounged against one of the doorposts. Uncle Tucker was himself tall, but slightly bent, lean andbrown, with great, gray, mystic eyes that peered out from under bushywhite brows. Long gray locks curled around his ears and a rampantforelock stood up defiantly upon his wide, high brow. At all times hisfirm old mouth was on the eve of breaking into a quizzical smile, andhe bestowed one upon Everett as he remarked further:

"The barn is man's instituted refuge in the time of mop and broomcyclones in the house. I reckon you can't get on to your rock-pickingin the fields now, but you really hadn't oughter dig up an oil-wellto-day anyway; it might kinder overshadow the excitement of theparty. "

"Mr. Alloway, has any other survey of this river bend been madebefore?" asked Everett as he looked keenly at Uncle Tucker, while helit his cigar from the cob pipe the old gentleman accommodatinglyhanded him. 

"Well, yes, there was a young fellow came poking around here not solong ago with a little hammer pecking at the rocks. I didn't pay muchattention to him, though. He never stayed but one day, and I wasa-cutting clover hay, and too busy to notice him much 'cept to ask himin to dinner. He couldn't seem to manage his chicken dumplings forfeeding his eyes with Rose Mary, and he didn't have time to give upmuch information about sech little things as oil-wells and phosphatebeds. You know, they has to be a good touch of frost over a man's earsbefore he can tend to business, with good-looking dimity passingaround him. " And Uncle Tucker laughed as he resumed the puffing of hispipe. 

"And after the frost they are not at all immune--to such dimity, "answered Everett with an echo of Uncle Tucker's laugh, as a slightcolor rose up under the tan of his thin face. As he spoke he ruffledhis own dark red mop of hair, which was slightly sprinkled with gray, over his temples. Everett was tall, broad and muscular, but thinalmost to gauntness, and his face habitually wore the expression ofdeep weariness. His eyes were red-brown and disillusioned, except whenthey joined with his well-cut mouth in a smile that brought an almostboyish beauty back over his whole expression. There was decided youthin the glance he bestowed upon Uncle Tucker, whose attention wasriveted on the manoeuvers of the General and Tobe, who were busy witha pair of old kitchen knives in an attack upon the grass growingbetween the cracks of the front walk. 

"So you have had no report as to what that survey was?" Everett askedUncle Tucker, again bringing him back to the subject in hand. "Do youknow who sent the man you speak of to prospect on your land?"

"Never thought to ask him, " answered Uncle Tucker, still with theutmost unconcern. "Maybe Rose Mary knows. Women generally carry areticule around with 'em jest to poke facts into that they gathertogether from nothing put pure wantin'-to-know. Ask her. "

And as he spoke Uncle Tucker began to busy himself getting out thegrease cans, with the evident intention of putting in a morninglubricating the farm implements in general. 

"Your friend, Mr. Gideon Newsome, said something about a rumor ofpaying phosphate here in the Harpeth bend when I met him over inBoliver before I came to Sweetbriar. In fact, I had tried to come tolook over the fields just to kill time when I nearly killed myself andfell down upon you. Do you suppose he could have sent the prospector?"Again Everett brought Uncle Tucker back to the uninteresting topic ofwhat might lay under the fields, the top of which he was so interestedin cultivating. 

"Oh, I reckon not, " answered Uncle Tucker, puffing away as he laidout his monkey-wrenches. "The Honorable Gid is up to his neck in thishere no-dram wave what is a-sweeping around over the state and prettynigh rising up as high as the necks of even private liquor bottles. Gid's not to say a teetotaler, but he had to climb into the bandwagonskiff or sink outen sight. He's got to tie down his seat in the statehouse with a white ribbon, and he's got no mind for fooling withphosphate dirt. He's a mighty fine man, and all of Sweetbriar thinks aheap of him. Do you want to help me lift this wagon wheel on to thisjack, so I can sorter grease her up against the next time I use her?"

"Say, Uncle Tuck, Aunt Viney says for you to come right there now andbring Mr. Mark and a spade and a long string with you, " came just atthe critical moment of balancing the notched plank under the revolvingwagon wheel, in Stonewall Jackson's young voice, which held in itquite a trace of Miss Lavinia's decisive tone of command. Stoniestood in the barn door, poised for instant return along the path ofduty to the front walk, only waiting to be sure his summons would beobeyed. Stonie was sturdy, freckled, and in possession of UncleTucker's big gray eyes, Rose Mary's curled mouth and more than a tingeof Aunt Viney's austerity of manner. 

"Better come on, " he further admonished. "Rose Mary can't hold thatvine up much longer, and if she lets go they'll all fall down. " And ashe raced up the path Everett followed almost as rapidly, urged on bythe vision of Rose Mary drooping under some sort of unsupportableburden. Uncle Tucker brought up the rear with the spade and a longpiece of twine. 

"Oh, I thought you would never come, " laughed Rose Mary from half wayup the step-ladder as she lowered herself and a great bunch of buddinghoneysuckle down into Everett's upstretched arms. "I held it up aslong as I could, but I almost let it tear the whole vine down. "

[Illustration: "That's what comes from letting that shoot runcatawumpas"]

"That's what comes from letting that shoot run catawumpas three yearsago. I told you about it at the time, Tucker, " said Miss Lavinia witha stern glance at Uncle Tucker, who stood with spade and twine at thecorner of the porch. 

Miss Lavinia sat in a large, calico-cushioned rocking-chair at the endof the porch, and had been issuing orders to Rose Mary and little MissAmanda about the readjustment of the fragrant vine that trailed acrossthe end of the porch over her window and on out to a trellis in theside yard. Her high mob cap sat on her head in an angle of aggressionalways, and her keen black eyes enforced all commands issuing from herstern old mouth. 

"Now, Amandy, train that shoot straight while you're about it, " shecontinued. "It comes plumb from the roots, and I don't want to have tolook at a wild-growing vine right here under my window for all myeighty-second and maybe last year. "

"I've gone and misplaced my glasses and I can't hardly see, " answeredMiss Amanda in her sweet little quaver that sounded like a silver bellwith a crack in it. "Lend me your'n, Tucker!"

"You are a-going to misplace your eyes some day, Sister Amandy. Thenyou'll be a-wanting mine, and I'll have to cut 'em out and give 'em toyou, I suppose, " said Uncle Tucker as he handed over his huge, steel-rimmed glasses. 

"The Bible says 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, ' Tucker, but not in a borrowing sense of the word, as I remember, " remarkedMiss Lavinia in a meditative tone of voice. "And that would be thething about my getting the new teeth. Don't either of you need 'em, and it would be selfish of me to spend on something they couldn'tanybody borrow from me. Amandy, dig a little deeper around thatshoot, I don't want no puny vine under my window!"

"I'm a-trying, Sister Viney, " answered Miss Amanda propitiatingly. "I've been a-bending over so long my knees are in a kinder tremble. "

"Let me finish digging and put in the new dirt for you, Aunt Amandy, "begged Rose Mary, who had given the armful of vine to Everett to holdwhile Uncle Tucker tied the strings in the exact angle indicated byMiss Lavinia. "I can do it in no time. "

"No, child, I reckon I'd better do it myself, " answered Miss Amanda asshe sat back on the grass for a moment's rest. "I have dug around andtrained this vine the last week in April for almost sixty years now. Mr. Lovell brought it by to Ma one spring as he hauled his summergroceries over the Ridge to Warren County. By such care it's neverdied down yet, and I have made it my custom to give sprouts away toall that would take 'em. I'm not a-doubting that there is some ofthis vine a-budding out all over Harpeth Valley from Providence Nob tothe River bend. "

"No, Amandy, " interrupted Aunt Viney, "it wasn't sixty years ago, itwas jest fifty-seven. Mr. Lovell brought the switch of it with him thefirst year Mr. Roberts rode this circuit, and he was a-holding thatbig revival over to Providence Chapel. Mr. Lovell came into the foldwith that very first night's preaching, and we all were rejoiced. Don't you remember he brought you that Maiden Blush rose-bush overthere at the same time he brought this vine to Ma? And one bloom cameout on the rose the next year jest in time to put it in his coffinbefore we buried him when he was taken down with the fever on the Roadand died here with us. Fifty-six years ago come June, and him so youngto die while so full of the spirit of the Lord!"

Feebly Miss Amanda rose to her knees and went on with the diggingaround the roots of the vine, but Rose Mary knelt beside her and laidher strong, young arm around the bent and shaking little shoulders. Uncle Tucker rested on his spade and looked away across the gardenwall, where the little yard of graves was hid in the shadow of tallpine trees, and his big eyes grew very tender. Miss Lavinia fingered ashoot of the vine that had fallen across her thin old knees with asoftened expression in her prophet-woman face, while something new andsweet stirred in Everett's breast and woke in his tired eyes, asacross half a century was wafted the perfume of a shattered romance. 

And then by the time the vine had been trained Miss Lavinia hadthought of a number of other spring jobs that must be attended toalong the front walk and around all the clumps of budding shrubs, sowith one desperate glance toward the barn, his deserted haven, UncleTucker fell to with his spade, while Everett obtained a fork from thetool house and put himself under command. Rose Mary was sharplyrecalled and sent into the house to complete the arrangements for thefestivities, when she had followed the forker down by the lilac hedge, rake in hand, with evident intention of being of great assistance inthe gardening of the amateur. 

"Pull the dirt up closter around those bleeding-hearts, Tucker, "commanded Miss Lavinia from her rocker. "They are Rose Mary's Iplanted the identical day she was born, and I don't want anything tohappen to 'em in the way of cutworms or such this summer. "

"Well, I don't know, " answered Uncle Tucker with a little chuckle inEverett's direction, who was turning over the dirt near a rose-bush inhis close vicinity, "it don't do to pay too much attention to women'sbleeding-hearts; let alone, they'll tie 'em up in their own courageand go on dusting around the place, while if you notice 'em too muchthey take to squeezing out more bleed drops for your sympathy. Now, Ithink it's best--"

"Mister Tucker, say, Mister Tucker, " came in a giggle from over thefront gate as Jennie Rucker's little freckled nose appeared just abovethe top plank, only slightly in advance of that of small Peggy's. "Mis' Poteet's got a new baby, just earned, and she says she is sorryshe can't come to Mis' Viney's party; but she can't. "

"Now, fly-away, ain't that too bad!" exclaimed Uncle Tucker. "Thatbaby oughter be sent back until it has got manners to wait until it'swanted. Didn't neither one of you all get here on anybody's birthdaybut your own. " Uncle Tucker's sally was greeted by a duet of giggles, and the announcement committee hurried on across the street with itsnews. 

"Tucker, you Tucker, don't you touch that snowball bush with thespade!" came in a fresh and alarmed command from the rocker post ofobservation. "You know Ma didn't ever let that bush be touched afterit had budded. You spaded around it onct when you was young and uptyand you remember it didn't bloom. "

"Muster been a hundred years ago if I was ever upty about this hereflower job, " he answered in an undertone to Everett as he turned hisattention to the rose-bushes at which his apprentice had been peggingaway. "At weddings and bornings and flower tending man is just a wormunder woman's feet and he might as well not even hope to turn. All hecan do is to--"

But it was just at this juncture when Uncle Tucker's patience wasabout to be exhausted, that a summons from Rose Mary came for ageneral getting ready for the birthday celebration. 

And in a very few hours the festivities were in full swing. MissLavinia sat in state in her rocker and received the offerings andcongratulations of Sweetbriar as they were presented in variousoriginal and characteristic forms. Young Peter Rucker, still a bitunsteady on his pink and chubby underpinning, was steered forward topresent his glossy buckeye, hung on a plaited horse-hair string thathad been constructed by small Jennie with long and infinite patience. Miss Lavinia's commendations threw both donor and constructor into anagony of bashfulness from which Pete took refuge in Rose Mary's skirtsand Jennie behind her mother's chair. But at this juncture the arrivalon the scene of action of young Bob Nickols with a whole two-horsewagon-load of pine cones, which the old lady doted on for the freshingup of the tiny fires always kept smoldering in her andironed fireplacethe summer through, distracted the attention of the company and wasgreeted with great applause. Bob had been from early morning over onProvidence Nob collecting the treasures, and, seated beside him on thefront of the wagon, was Louisa Helen Plunkett, blushing furiously andmost obviously avoiding her mother's stern eye of inquiry as to whereshe had spent the valuable morning hours. 

The sensation of young Bob's offering was only offset at the unpackingof the complacent Mr. Crabtree's gift, which he bore over from thestore in his own arms. With dramatic effect he placed it on the floorat Miss Lavinia's feet and called for a hatchet for its opening. Andas from their wrappings of paper and excelsior he drew two large giltand glass bottles, one containing bay rum and the other camphor, thatprecious lotion for fast stiffening joints, little Miss Amanda heaveda sigh of positive rapture. Mr. Crabtree was small and wiry, with ahickory-nut countenance and a luscious peach of a heart, and, thoughof bachelor condition, he at all times displayed sympathetic andintuitive domestic inclinations. He kept the Sweetbriar store and wasthus in position to know of the small economies practised by the twoold ladies in the matter of personal necessities. For the months pastthey had not bought the quantity of lubricating remedies that heconsidered sufficient and this had been his tactful way of supplyingenough to last for some time to come. And from over the pile of giftsheaped around her, Miss Lavinia beamed upon him to such an extent thathe felt like following young Pete's example, committing the awfulimpropriety of hiding his embarrassment in any petticoat handy, butjust at this juncture up the front walk came the birthday cakenavigating itself by the long legs of Mr. Caleb Rucker and attended bya riot of Sweetbriar youth, mad with excitement over its safe landingand the treat in prospect. In its wake followed Mrs. Rucker, complacent and beaming over the sensation caused by this her hightriumph in the culinary line. 

"Fly-away, if that's not Providence Nob gone and turned to a cake forSister Viney's birthday, " exclaimed Uncle Tucker, as amid generousapplause the offering was landed on a table set near the rocker. 

And again at this auspicious moment a huge waiter covered with littlemountains of white ice-cream made its appearance through the frontdoor, impelled by the motive power of Mr. Mark Everett's elegantlywhite-flannel-trousered legs, and guided to a landing beside the cakeby Rose Mary, who was a pink flower of smiles and blushes. 

Then it followed that in less time than one would think possible thecompany at large was busy with a spoon attached to the refreshmentswhich to Sweetbriar represented the height of elegance. Out in theworld beyond Old Harpeth ice-cream and cake may have lost caste as afashionable afternoon refreshment, having been succeeded by theimported custom of tea and scones or an elaborate menu of receptionindigestibles, but in the Valley nothing had ever threatened thesupremacy of the frozen cream and white-frosted confection. The menall sat on the end of the long porch and accepted second saucers andslices and even when urged by Rose Mary, beaming with hospitality, third relays, while the Swarm in camp on the front steps, under theGeneral's management, seconded by Everett, succeeded in obtainingsupplies in a practically unlimited quantity. 

"Looks like Miss Rose Mary's freezer ain't got no bottom at all, " saidMr. Rucker in his long drawl as he began on a fourth white mound. "Itreminds me of 'the snow, the snow what falls from Heaven to earthbelow, ' and keeps a-falling. " Mr. Rucker was a poet at heart and ahusband to Mrs. Rucker by profession, and his flights were regarded bySweetbriar at large with a mixture of pride and derision. 

"Cal, " said Mrs. Rucker sternly, "don't you eat more'n half thatsaucer. I've got no mind to top off this here good time with mustardplasters all around. Even rejoicings can get overfed and peter outinto ginger tea. Jennie, you and Sammie and Pete stop eating rightnow. Lands alive, the sun has set and we all know Miss Viney oughterbe in the house. Shoo, everybody go home to save your manners!" Andwith hearty laughs and further good-by congratulations the happylittle company of farmer folk scattered to their own roof trees acrossand along Providence Road. The twilight had come, but a very youngmoon was casting soft shadows from the trees rustling in the nightbreezes and the stars were lighting up in competition to the rays thatshot out from window after window in the little village. 

Uncle Tucker had hurried away to his belated barn duties and littleMiss Amanda into the house to stir up Miss Lavinia's fire inpreparation for their retirement, which was a ceremony of longduration and begun with the mounting of the chickens to their roosts. Miss Lavinia sat with her hands folded in her lap over a collection ofthe smaller gifts of the afternoon and her eyes looked far away crossthe Ridge, dim in the failing light, while her stern old face took onsoftened and very lovely lines. Rose Mary stood near to help her intothe house and Everett leaned against a post close on the other side ofthe rocker. 

"Children, " she said with a little break in her usual austere voice, "I'm kinder ashamed of accusing the Lord of forgetting me this morningwhen I look at all these remembers of me here that my neighbors havegiven me. I found friends when I came here eighty-two years ago to-dayand as they have died off He has raised up a new crop outen their seedfor me. This rheumatism buckeye here is the present of the greatgrandson of my first beau, and this afternoon I have looked into thekind eyes of some of my friends dead and gone many a day, and haveseen smiles come to life that have been buried fifty years. I'ma-feeling thankful to be here another summer to see my friends andflowers a-blooming onct more, and come next April I am a-going towant just such another infair as this one. Now help me into bed! Youngman, you can lift me up some, I'm stiff with so long setting, and I'ma-going to want a power of rubbing this night, Rose Mary. "

So, thus held by her duties of ministration, it was quite an hourlater that Rose Mary came out of the house, which was dark andsleep-quiet, and found Everett still sitting on the front stepssmoking and--waiting. 

"Tired?" he asked as she sank down on to the step beside him andleaned her dark head back against one of the posts that supported themass of honeysuckle vine. 

"Not much--and a heap happy, " she answered, looking up at him withreflected stars in her long-lashed blue eyes. "Wasn't it a lovelyparty?"

"Yes, " answered Everett slowly as he watched the smoke curl up fromhis cigar and blow in the soft little night wind across toward RoseMary; "yes, it was a nice party. I seriously doubt if anywhere on anyof the known continents there could have been one just like it pulledoff by any people of any nation. It was unique--in sentiment andexecution; I'm duly grateful for having been a guest--even parthonoree. "

"I always think of old people as being the soft shadows that sturdylittle children cast on the wall. They are a part of the day andsunshine, but just protected by the young folks that come between themand the direct rays. They are strangely like flowers, too, with theirquaint fragrance. Aunt Viney is my tall purple flag, but Aunt Amandyis my bed of white cinnamon pinks. I--I want to keep them in bloom foralways. I can't let myself think--that I can't. " Rose Mary's voicetrembled into a laugh as she caught a trailing wisp of honeysuckle andpressed a bunch of its buds to her lips. 

"You'll keep them, Rose Mary. You could keep anything you--you reallywanted, " said Everett in a guardedly comforting voice. "And what areMr. Alloway and Stonie in your flower garden?" he asked in a banteringtone. 

"Oh, Uncle Tucker is the briar rose hedge all around the place, andStonie is all the young shoots that I'm trying to prune and train upjust like him, " answered Rose Mary with a quick laugh. "You're mynew-fashioned crimson-rambler from out over the Ridge that I'm tryingto make grow in my garden, " she added, with a little hint of bothaudacity and tenderness in her voice. 

"I'm rooted all right, " answered Everett quickly, as he blew a puff ofsmoke at her. "And you, Rose Mary, are the bloom of every rose-bushthat I ever saw anywhere. You are, I verily believe, the only andoriginal Rose of the World. "

"Oh, no, " answered Rose Mary lifting her long lashes for a second'sglance at him; "I'm just the Rose of these Briars. Don't you know allover the world women are blooming on lovely tall stems, where theyhave planted themselves deep in home places and are drinking theMaster's love and courage from both sun and rain. But if we don't goto rest some you'll wilt, Rambler, and I'll shatter. Be sure and takethe glass of cream I put by your bed. Good night and good dreams!"

CHAPTER III

AT THE COURT OF DAME NATURE

"Well, Rose Mary, " said Uncle Tucker as he appeared in the doorway ofthe milk-house and framed himself against an entrancing, mist-wreathed, sun-up aspect of Sweetbriar with a stretch ofProvidence Road winding away to the Nob and bending caressingly aroundred-roofed Providence as it passed over the Ridge, "there areforty-seven new babies out in the barn for you this morning. Bettercome on over and see 'em!" Uncle Tucker's big eyes were bright withexcitement, his gray lavender muffler, which always formed a part ofhis early morning costume, flew at loose ends, and a rampant, grizzlylock stuck out through the slit in the old gray hat. 

"Gracious me, Uncle Tuck, who now?" demanded Rose Mary over a crockof milk she was expertly skimming with a thin, old, silver ladle. 

"Old White has hatched out a brood of sixteen, assorted black andwhite, that foolish bronze turkey hen just come out from under thewoodpile with thirteen little pesters, Sniffer has got fivepups--three spots and two solids--and Mrs. Butter has twin calves, assorted sex this time. They are spry and hungry and you'd better comeon over!"

"Lovely, " laughed Rose Mary with the delight in her blue eyes matchingthat in Uncle Tucker's pair of mystic gray. "I'll come just as soon asI get the skimming done. We'll want some corn meal and millet seed forthe chirp-babies, but the others we can leave to the maternalministrations. I'm so full of welcome I don't see how I'm going tokeep it from bubbling over. "

"That's jest like you, Rose Mary, a-welcoming a whole passel ofpesters that have deluged down on you at one time, " said Uncle Tuckerwith a dubiously appreciative smile at Rose Mary's hospitableenthusiasm. "Looks to me like a girl tending three old folks, onerampage of a boy, a mollycuddle of a strange man, and a whole pettingspoiled village has got enough on her shoulders without thisfour-foot, two-foot landslide. "

"But it's in my heart I carry you all, old Sweetie, " answered RoseMary with a flirt of her long lashes up at Uncle Tucker. "A woman cancarry things as a blessing in her heart that might be an awful burdenon her shoulders. Don't you know I don't allow you out before the sunis up good without your muffler tied up tight? There; please go onback to the barn and take this crock of skimmed milk to Mrs. Sniffie--wait, I'll pour back some of the cream! And in just a fewminutes I'll be ready to--"

"Rose Mary, Rose Mary, " came a wild, enthusiastic shout from up thepath toward the Briars and in a moment the General appeared around therow of lilac bushes through which the milk-house trail led down underthe hill to Rose Mary's sanctum of the golden treasure. Stonie hadtaken time before leaving the seclusion of his apartment to plungeinto his short blue jeans trousers, but he was holding them up withone hand and struggling with his gingham shirt, the tail of whichbellowed out like a sail in the morning breeze as he sped along. Andin his wake came Tobe with a pan in one hand and a cup in the other. "It's two calves, Tobe says, with just Mrs. Butter for the mother andSniffie beat her with three more puppies than two calves. It's sixteenchickens and a passel of turkeys and we waked up Mr. Mark to tell himand he said--" Stonie paused in the rapid fire of his announcement ofthe morning news and then added in judicial tone of voice, as ifgiving the aroused sleeper his modicum of fair play: "Well, he didn'tquite say it before he swallowed, but he throwed a pillow at Tobe andpulled the sheet over his head and groaned awful. Aunt Viney wassaying her prayers when I went to tell her, and Aunt Mandy was takingdown her frizzles, but she stopped and gave Tobe some corn-bread forthe chickens and some pot-licker with meat in it for Sniffie. Can'tyou come with me to see 'em now, Rose Mary? It won't be any fun untilyou see em!" The General had by this time lined up in the doorway withUncle Tucker, and Tobe's black head and keen face peered over hisshoulder. The expression in all three pairs of eyes fixed on hers wasthe same--the wild desire to make her presentation at the interestingcourt Dame Nature was holding in the barn. A most natural masculineinstinct for feminine interpretive companionship when face to facewith the miracle of maternity. 

"Just one more crock of milk to skim and I can go, " answered Rose Maryas she poised the skimmer over the last yellow surface down the lineof huge, brown, earthen bowls that in Harpeth Valley were known ascrocks. The milk-house was cool and clean and smelled of the freshcream lifted from the milk into the stone jars to be clabbered for theto-morrow churning. And Rose Mary herself was a fresh, fragrantincarnation of the spirit of a spring sun-dawn that had come over theRidge from Old Harpeth. Her merry voice floated out over the hillsideas she followed in the wake of Uncle Tucker, Stonie and Tobe, with theprovender for the new arrivals, and it made its way as a faint echo ofa dream through one of the vine-covered, gable windows of the Briarsand the effect thereof was well-nigh instantaneous. 

Everett, after a hasty and almost as incomplete toilet as the one madeby the General in his excitement, arrived on the scene of action justin time to witness the congratulatory interview between Mrs. Sniffieand the mistress of her undying affections. The long-eared, plumy, young setter-mother stood licking the back of Rose Mary's neck as shesat on the barn floor with all five of the young tumblers in her lap, with Tobe and Stonie hanging rapturously over her and them, whileUncle Tucker was expatiating on some points that had made themselvesevident even at this very early stage of the existence of the littledog babies. 

"They ain't not a single stub nose in the bunch, Uncle Tuck, not a oneand everybody's of thems toes stick way apart, " exclaimed the General, his cheeks red with joyous pride. 

"Watch 'em, Miss Ro' Mary; watch 'em smell Sniffie when I call herover here, " exclaimed Tobe as he held out the pan to Mrs. Sniffer andthus coaxed her from the side of Rose Mary and the small family. And, sure enough, around squirmed every little white and yellow bunch andup went every little new-born nose as it sniffed at the recession ofthe maternal fount. One little precocious even went so far as toattempt to set his wee fore paddies against Rose Mary's knee and tostiffen a tiny plume of a tail, with a plain instinct to point thedirection of the shifting base of supplies. Rose Mary gave a cry ofdelight and hugged the whole talented family to her breast, whileStonie and Tobe yelled and danced as Uncle Tucker turned with evidentemotion to Everett to claim his congratulations. 

"Never saw anything like it in my life, " Everett assured him with thegreatest enthusiasm, and, as he spoke, he laughed down into RoseMary's lifted blue eyes that were positively tender with pride overthe puppies in her arms. "It's a sight worth losing the tale of adream for--taken all together. "

"And all the others--I'll show you, " and, gathering her skirtsbasketwise, Rose Mary rose to her feet and led the way across thebarn, with Sniffer snuffing along at the squirming bundle in herskirts, that swung against the white petticoat ruffling around herslim ankles. With the utmost care she deposited the puppies in anoverturned barrel, nicely lined with hay, that Stonie and Tobe hadbeen preparing. "They are lovely, Sniffie, " she said softly to theyoung mother, who jumped in and huddled down beside the babies as hermistress turned to leave them with the greatest reluctance. 

And it was well that the strata of Everett's enthusiasm lay near thesurface and was easily workable, for in the next half-hour there was agreat demand of continuous output. Mrs. Butter stood switching hertail and chewing at a wisp of hay with an air of triumphant pridetinged with mild surprise as she turned occasionally to glance at theoffspring huddled against her side and found eight wobbly legs insteadof the four her former experiences had led her to expect, and felt twolittle nuzzling noses instead of one. 

"Which one do you guess was the surprise calf to her, Rose Mamie?"demanded the General. 

"Shoo!" said Tobe in answer to the General's question. "Old Butterhave had them two calfs to purpose, boy and girl, one to keep and oneto kill. She got mixed about whether Mr. Tuck keeps heifers or bullsand jest had both kinds so as to keep one sure. "

"Well, Aunt Viney read in her book of a place they kills girls andkeeps boys. At this place they jest gits it mixed up with the cows andit's no use to tell 'em, " answered the General in a disgusted tone ofvoice, and with a stem glance at Uncle Tucker, as he and Tobe passedon over to the feed-room door, to lead the way to the display of thelittle turks and cheeps for Everett's further edification. 

And just as the introductions were all completed two deep notes of themellow old farm bell sounded over the hill in a hospitable andreverent summons to prayers and breakfast ensuing. On the instant twopairs of pink heels were shown to the company as Stonie and Toberaced up the walk, which were quickly followed by Uncle Tucker, intenton being on hand promptly for the assembling of his household. Moreslowly Rose Mary and Everett followed, walking side by side along thenarrow path. 

"Rose Mary, have you let me sleep through such exciting scenes as thisevery morning for a month?" demanded Everett quizzically. "What timedo you get up--or is it that the sun waits for your summons or--"

"No, not my summons--old lame Shanghi's. I believe he is of Frenchextraction from his elaborate manner with the hens, " answered RoseMary, quickly applying his plagiarized compliment. "Let's hurry orI'll be late for prayers. Would you like--will you come in to-day, asyou are already up?" The color rose in Rose Mary's cheeks up under herlong lashes and she gave him just one shy glance that had a tinge ofroguishness in it. 

"Thank you, I--I would like to. That is, if I may--if I won't be inthe way or--or--or--will you hold my hand so I won't go wrong?" hefinished in laughing confusion as the color came under the tan of hischeeks to match that in hers and the young look lay for a moment inhis eyes. "It'll be my début at family worship, " he added quickly tocover his confusion. 

"Don't worry, Uncle Tucker leads it, " answered Rose Mary as theyascended the front steps and came across the front porch to thedoorway of the wide hall, which was the living-room, as well as theartery of the Briars. 

And a decorous and seemly scene they stepped in upon. Uncle Tucker satback of a small table, which was placed at one side of the wide openfireplace, in which crackled a bit of fragrant, spring fire. His Bibleand a couple of hymn-books rested in front of him, his gray forelockhad been meekly plastered down and the jocund lavender scarf had beenlaid aside to display a straight white collar and clerical black bowtie. His eyes were bent on the book before him as he sought for thetext for the morning lesson. Aunt Viney sat close beside him as ifanxious to be as near to the source of worship as possible, though thestrain of refraining from directing Uncle Tucker in the conductingthereof was very great. The tradition which forced silence upon womenin places of public worship had held with Miss Lavinia only by theexercising of the sternest and most rigorous self-suppression, whichat any time might have been broken except for the curbing of her ironwill. 

But even though silent she was still dominant, and over her glassesher eyes shot glances of stern rebuke at two offenders in a distantcorner, while Uncle Tucker fluttered the leaves of his hymn-book, oblivious to the unseemly contention. The General and Tobe, who cameas near to living and having his being at the Briars as was possiblein consideration of the fact that he was supposed to have his bed andboard under his own paternal roof, were kneeling demurely beside asmall rocking-chair, but a battle royal was going on as to who wouldpossess the low seat on which to bow the head of reverence. 

Little Miss Amanda from across the room, in terror of what mightbefall her favorites at the hands of Miss Lavinia in a later hour ofreckoning, was making beseeching gestures of alarm, warning andreproof that were entirely inadequate to the situation, which was fastbecoming acute, when the two tardy members arrived on the scene ofaction. It took Rose Mary one second to grasp the situation, and, motioning Everett to a chair beside the rocker, she seated herselfquickly in the very midst of the scuffle. In a half-second Tobe's headwas bowed in triumph on the arm of her chair, while the General's wasducked with equal triumph upon her knee as Uncle Tucker's sweet oldvoice rose in the first words of his prayer. 

But after a few minutes of most becoming reverence Stonie's eyesopened and revealed his surprise at Everett's presence as he knelt bythe chair across from Tobe and almost as close to Rose Mary'sprotective presence as either of the two combatants. With a welcomingsmile the General slipped the little brown hand of fellowship into thestranger's, thereby offering a material support to the latter's agonyof embarrassment, which only very slowly receded from face anddemeanor as the services proceeded. 

Then as across the crackle of the fire came the confident word ofDavid the Singer: "_The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof;the world and they that dwell therein_, " intoned in the old man'sreverent voice, something led Everett's glance out through the opendoor to see the bit of divine dominion that spread before him with neweyes and a newer understanding. Harpeth Valley lay like the tenderpalm of a huge master hand with the knuckles of rough blue hillsknotted around it, and dotted over the fostering meadows werecomfortable homes, each with its morning altar fire sending up opalwreaths of mist smoke from the red brick or stone chimneys. Long creeklines marked their way across the fields which were growing tendergreen with the upbringing of the spring grain. 

"_Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand_, " dronedUncle Tucker. "_The hollow of His hand_, " assented Everett'sconscience in artistic appreciation of the simile. 

"_And stretched out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them outas a tent to dwell in_, " came as another line of interpretation of thepicture spread before the strangely unshackled eyes of the bowed manwith the little boy kneeling beside him. Quickly he turned toward RoseMary with almost a startled glance and found in her eyes the fact thatshe had been faring forth over Harpeth Valley on the wings of UncleTucker's supplication as had he. The wonder of it rose in his eyes, which were about to lay bare to her depths never before stirred, whena fervent "Amen! I beat you that time, Tobe!" fairly exploded at hisear as the General took the final word out of Uncle Tucker's verymouth in rival to his worshipping opponent. 

"I said it first, but it got blowed into Miss Ro' Mary's sleeve, "avowed Tobe with a flaunt at his competitor. 

"If nobody he'r'n it, it don't count, " decided the General withemphasis. And in friendly dispute he escorted his rival down the frontwalk, while Uncle Tucker, as was his custom, busied himselfstraightening hymn-book and Bible, so leaving the family altar inreadiness for the beginning of a new day. And thus the primitiveceremonial, the dread of which had kept Everett late in bed everymorning for a month, had resolved itself into what seemed to him butthe embrace of a tender, whimsical brotherhood in which the old mysticboth assumed and accounted for a stewardship in behalf of the othersassembled under his roof-tree. 

But in the eyes of Miss Lavinia all forms of service were themarshalling of the hosts in battle array and at all times she wasenlisted in the ranks of the church militant, and upon this occasionshe bore down upon Everett with banners unfurled. 

"We are mighty gratified to welcome you at last in the circle offamily worship, young man, " she declaimed, as reproach and cordialityvied in her voice. "I have been a-laying off to ask you what churchyou belonged to in New York, and have a little talk with you over someof our sacred duties that young people of this generation are apt--"

"Rose Mary, " came Miss Amanda's cheery little voice from the doorwayjust in time to save Everett from the wish, if not even a vainattempt, to sink through the floor, "bring Mr. Mark right on in tobreakfast before the waffles set. Sister Viney, your coffee isa-getting cold. " Little Miss Amanda had seen and guessed at hisplight and the coffee threat to Miss Lavinia had been one of thenimble manoeuvers that she daily, almost hourly, employed in themanagement of her sister's ponderosity. Thus she had saved this day, but Everett knew that there were others to come, and in the dimdistance he discerned his Waterloo. 

And as he worked carefully with his examining pick over beyond thenorth pasture through the soft spring-warm afternoon, he occasionallysmiled to himself as the morning scene of worship, etched deep on hisconsciousness by its strangeness to his tenets of life, rose again andagain to his mind's eye. They were a wonderful people, these Valleyfolk, descendants of the Huguenots and Cavaliers who had taken thewilderness trail across the mountains and settled here "in the hollow"of old Harpeth's hand. They were as interesting scientifically from aphilosophical standpoint as were the geological formations which laybeneath their blue-grass and clover fields. They built altars to whatseemed to him a primitive God, and yet their codes were in many casesnot only ethically but economically and democratically sound. The menhe had found shrewd and as a whole more interested and versed instatescraft than would seem possible, considering their shut-inlocation in regard to the places where the world wheels seem torevolve. But were there larger wheels revolving, silently, slowly, butjust as relentlessly, out here where the heavens were stretched "_as acurtain_, " and "_as a tent to dwell in_?"

"_'The earth and the fullness thereof, '_" he mused as he raised hiseyes to the sky; "it's theirs, certainly, and they dedicate it totheir God. I wonder--" Suddenly the picture of the woman in the barnrose to his mind, strong and gracious and wonderful, with the young"fullness" pressing around her, teeming with--force. What force--andwhat source? Suddenly he dropped his pick behind a convenient bush, shouldered his kit of rocks and sand, climbed the fence and trampedaway down Providence Road to Sweetbriar, Rose Mary and her cold milkcrocks, thither impelled by deep--thirsts. 

And under the hospitable eaves of the milk-house he found Rose Maryand her cooling draft--also Mrs. Caleb Rucker, with small Pete in tow. 

"Howdy, Mr. Mark, " the visiting neighbor answered in response to hisforcedly cordial greeting. If a man has walked a mile and a half witha picture of a woman handing him a glass of cool milk with a certainlift of black lashes from over deep, black blue eyes itis--disconcerting to have her do it in the presence of another. 

"I just come over to get a bucket of buttermilk for GrannySatterwhite, " he found Mrs. Rucker saying as he forced his attention. "She won't touch mine if there's any of Rose Mary's handy. Looks likeshe thinks she's drinking some of Rose Mary's petting with everygulp. "

Everett had just raised the glass Rose Mary had handed him, to hislips, as Mrs. Rucker spoke, and over its edge he regarded the rosesthat suddenly blushed out in her cheeks, but she refused to raise herlashes the fraction of an inch and went calmly on pressing the milkfrom the butter she had just taken from the churn. 

"Granny knows that love can be sent just as well in a glass ofbuttermilk as in a valentine, " she finally said, and as she spoke aroguish smile coaxed at the comer of her mouth. "Don't you suppose apiece of hemp twine would turn into a gold cord if you tied it arounda bundle of true love?" she ventured further in a spirit of daring, still with her eyes on the butter. 

"Now that's something in meaning like my first husband, Mr. Satterwhite, said when we was married, " assented Mrs. Rucker withhearty appreciation of the practicality in Rose Mary's sentiment. "Hegave me two sows, each with a litter of pigs, for a wedding presentand said they'd be a heap more to me than any kind of jimcracks hecould er bought for half the money they'd bring. And they was, for, indue course of time, I sold all them hogs and bought the plushfurniture in the front room, melojeon and all. Now Mr. Rucker, he giveme a ring with a blue set and 'darling' printed inside it that costfifty cents extra, and Jennie Rucker swallowed that ring before shewas a year old. I guess she has got it growed up inside her, for all Iknow of it, and her Paw is a-setting on Mr. Satterwhite's furniture atpresent, speaking still. Sometimes it makes me feel sad to think ofMr. Satterwhite when Cal Rucker spells out, _Shall we meet beyond theriver_ with two fingers on that melojeon. But then I even up myfeelings by remembering how Cal let me name Pete for Mr. Satterwhite, which is a second-husband compliment they don't many men pass; and itpleased Granny so. "

"Mr. Rucker is always nice to Granny Satterwhite, " said Rose Mary withthe evident intention of extolling the present incumbent of thehusband office to her friend. But at the mention of his name a momentearlier, young Peter, the bond between the past and present, hadsidled out the door and proceeded to sit calmly down on the ripplingsurface of the spring branch. His rescue and retirement necessitatedhis mother's departure and Everett was left in command of thetwo-alone situation he desired. 

"Hasn't this been a lovely, long day?" asked Rose Mary as she turnedthe butter into a large jar and pressed a white cloth close over itwith a stone top. "To-night is the full April moon and I've got asurprise for you, if you don't find it out too soon. Will you walkover to Tilting Rock, beyond the barn-lot, with me after supper andlet me show you?"

"Will I cross the fields of Elysium to gaze over the pearly ramparts?"demanded Everett with boyish enthusiasm, if not a wholly accurate useof mythological metaphor. "Let's cut supper and go on now! What do yousay? Why wait?"

"I'm afraid, " laughed Rose Mary as she prepared to close up the widewindow and leave everything in shipshape for the night. "A womanoughtn't to risk feeding a hungry man cold moonbeams instead of hothoecake. Besides, I have to see everybody safely tucked in before Ican leave. Aren't they all a precious houseful of early-to-bedchickens? The old Sweeties have forgotten there is such a thing as themoon and Stonie hasn't--found it out--yet. " And with a mischievousbackward glance, Rose Mary led the way up the lilac path to the Briarson top of the hill just as the old bell sounded two wobbly notes, their uncertainty caused by the rivalry of the General and Tobe overthe pulling of the ropes. 

And it was quite two hours later that she and Everett made their wayacross the barn-lot over to the broad, moss-covered Tilting Rock thatjutted out from a little hackberry-covered knoll at the far end of thepasture. 

"Now look--and smell in deep!" exclaimed Rose Mary excitedly as shepointed back to the Briars. 

"Why--why!" exclaimed Everett under his breath, "it's enchantment!It's a dream--am I awake?"

And indeed a very vision spread itself out before the wondering man. The low roof and wide wings of the Briars, with the delicate traceriesof vines over the walls and gables, shone a soft, old-brick pink inthe glow of moonlight, and over and around it all gushed a very showerof shimmering white blossoms, surrounding the house like a mist aroundan early blooming rose. And as he looked, wave on wave of fragrancebeat against Everett's face and poured over his head. 

"What is it?" he demanded breathlessly, as if dizzy from a too deepdrinking of the perfume. 

"Don't you know? It's the locust trees that have bloomed out sincesunset!" exclaimed Rose Mary in as breathless a tone as his own. "Fora week I have been watching and hoping they would be out in the fullmoon. They are so delicate that the least little cold wind sets themback days or destroys them altogether. I wanted them so very much thisyear for you, and I was so afraid you would notice them before we gotover here where you could get the full effect. I promised you lilacsfor being good, but this is just because--because--"

"Because what?" asked Everett quietly. 

"Because I felt you would appreciate it, " answered Rose Mary, as shesank down on the stone that still held a trace of the warmth from thesun, and made room for Everett beside her with one of her ever-ready, gracious little gestures. "And it's lovely to have you here to look atit with me, " she added. "So many times I have sat here alone with themiracle, and my heart has ached for the whole world to get the visionof it at least. I've tried sending my love of it out in little locustprayers to folks over the Ridge. Did you ever happen to get one anyspring?"

"Last April I turned down a commission for a false test for thebiggest squeeze-out copper people in the world, fifty thousand in itto me. I thought it was moral courage, but I know now it was just onaccount of the locusts blooming in Harpeth Valley at Sweetbriar. Doyou get any connection?" he demanded lightly, if a bit unevenly. 

"To think that would be worth all the loneliness, " answered Rose Marygently. "Things were very hard for me the first year I had to comeback from college. I used to sit here by the hour and watch ProvidenceRoad wind away over the Ridge and nothing ever seemed to come or gofor me. But that was only for a little while, and now I never get thetime to breathe between the things that happen along Providence Roadfor me to attend to. I came back to Sweetbriar like an empty crock, with just dregs of disappointment at the bottom, and now I'm all readyevery morning to have five gallons of lovely folks-happenings pouredinto a two-and-a-half-gallon capacity. I wish I were twins or twice asmuch me. "

"Why, you have never told me before, Rose Mary, that you belong to thenew-woman persuasion, with a college hall-mark and suffragistleanings. I have made the mistake of putting you in the home-guardbrigade and classing you fifty years behind your times. Don't tell meyou have an M. A. I can't stand it to-night. "

"No, I haven't got one, " answered Rose Mary with both a smile and alonging in her voice. "I came home in the winter of my junior year. My father was one of the Harpeth Valley boys who went out into theworld, and he came back to die under the roof where his fathers hadfought off the Indians, and he brought poor little motherless me toleave with the aunts and Uncle Tucker. They loved me and cared for mejust as they did Uncle Tucker's son, who was motherless, too, and afew years after he went out into the world to seek the fortune he feltso sure of, I was given my chance at college. In my senior year histragedy came and I hurried back to find Uncle Tucker broken and oldwith the horror of it, and with the place practically sold to avoidopen disgrace. His son died that year and left--left--some day I willtell you the rest of it. I might have gone back into the world andmade a success of things and helped them in that way, from adistance--but what they needed was--was me. And so I sat here manysunset hours of loneliness and looked along Providence Roaduntil--until I think the Master must have passed this way and left meHis peace, though my mortal eyes didn't see Him. And now there lies myhome nest swung in a bower of blossoms full of the old sweetie birds, the boy, the calf, puppy babies, pester chickens and--and I'm going totake a large, gray, prowling night-bird back and tuck him away forfear his cheeks will look hollow in the morning. I'm the mother bird, and while I know He watches with me all through the night, sometimes Ising in the dark because I and my nesties are close to Him and I'm notthe least bit afraid. "

[Illustration: "I hope you feel easy in your mind now"]

CHAPTER IV

MOONLIGHT AND APPLE-BLOW

"I hope you feel easy in your mind, child, now you've put this wholegarden to bed and tucked 'em under cover, heads and all, " said UncleTucker, as he spread the last bit of old sacking down over the end ofthe row of little sprouting bean vines. "When I look at the garden I'mhalf skeered to go in the house to bed for fear I haven't got a quiltto my joints. "

"Now, honey sweet, you know better than that, " answered Rose Mary asshe rose from weighting down the end of a frilled white petticoat witha huge clod of earth and stretched it so as to cover quite two yardsof the green shoots. "I haven't taken a thing of yours but two shirtsand one of your last summer seersucker coats. I'm going to mend thesplit up the back in it for the wash Monday. Aunt Amandy lent me twoaprons and a sack and a petticoat for the peony bushes, and Aunt Vineygave me this shawl and three chemises that cover all the pinks. I'vetaken all the tablecloths for the early peas, and Stonie's shirts, each one of them, have covered a whole lot of the poet's narcissus. All the rest of the things are my own clothes, and I've still got aclean dress for to-morrow. If I can just cover everything to-night, Iwon't be afraid of the frost any more. You don't want all the lovelylittle green things to die, do you, and not have any snaps or peas orpeonies at all?"

"Oh, fly-away!" answered Uncle Tucker as he tucked in the last end ofa nondescript frill over a group of tiny cabbage plants, "there's noteven a smack of frost in the air! It's all in your mind. "

"Well, a mind ought to be sensitive about covering up its friends fromfrost hurts, " answered Rose Mary propitiatingly as she took asatisfied survey of the bedded garden, which looked like the scene ofa disorganized washday. "Thank you, Uncle Tucker, for helping me--keepoff the frost from my dreams, anyway. Don't you think--"

"Well, howdy, folks!" came a cheerfully interruptive hail from acrossthe brick wall that separated the garden from the cinder walk that layalong Providence Road, which ran as the only street throughSweetbriar, and Caleb Rucker's long face presented itself framed in awreath of budding rose briars that topped the wall in their springgrowth. "Tenting up the garden sass ag'in, Miss Rose Mary?"

"No, we're jest giving all the household duds a mooning instead of asunning, Cal, " answered Uncle Tucker with a chuckle as he came over tothe wall beside the visitor. "What's the word along the Road?"

"Gid Newsome have sent the news as he'll be here Sad'ay night to layoff and plow up this here dram or no-dram question for Sweetbriarvoters, so as to tote our will up to the state house for us nextelection. As a state senator, we can depend on Gid to expend some andhave notice taken of this district, if for nothing but his corn-silkvoice and white weskit. It must take no less'n a pound of taller aweek to keep them shoes and top hat of his'n so slick. I should jedgehis courting to be kinder like soft soap and molasses, Miss RoseMary. " And Mr. Rucker's smile was of the saddest as he handed this bitof gentle banter over the wall to Rose Mary, who had come over tostand beside Uncle Tucker in the end of the long path. 

"It's wonderful how devoted Mr. Newsome is to all his friends, "answered Rose Mary with a blush. "He sent me three copies of theBolivar _Herald_ with the poem of yours he had them print last week, and I was just going over to take you and Mrs. Rucker one as soon as Igot the time to--"

"Johnnie-jump-ups, Miss Rose Mary, don't you never do nothing likethat to me!" exclaimed Mr. Rucker with a very fire of desperationlighting his thin face. "If Mis' Rucker was to see one verse of thatthere poetry I would have to plow the whole creek-bottom corn-fieldjest to pacify her. I've done almost persuaded her to hire Bob Nickolsto do it with his two teams and young Bob, on account of a sciatticain my left side that plowing don't do no kind of good to. I have tookat least two bottles of her sasparilla and sorgum water and have letGranny put a plaster as big and loud-smelling as a mill swamp on myback jest to git that matter of the corn-field fixed up, and here youmost go and stir up the ruckus again with that poor little _Trees inthe Breeze_ poem that Gid took and had printed unbeknownst to me. Please, mam, burn them papers!"

"Oh, I wouldn't tell her for the world if you don't want me to, Mr. Rucker!" exclaimed Rose Mary in distress. "But I am sure she would beproud of--"

"No, it looks like women don't take to poetry for a husband; theyprefers the hefting of a hoe and plow handles. It's hard on Mis'Rucker that I ain't got no constitution to work with, and I feel itright to keep all my soul-squirmings and sech outen her sight. Theother night as I was a-putting Petie to bed, while she and Bob was atthe front gate a-trying to trade on that there plowing, a mighty sweetlittle verse come to me about

 "'The little shoes in mother's hand Nothing like 'em in the land, '

and the tears was in my eyes so thick 'cause I didn't have nobody tosay 'em to that one dropped down on Pete and made him think I wasa-going to wash his face, and sech another ruckus as she had to comein to, as mad as hops! If I feel like it, I'm a-going to clean everyweed outen the garden for her next week to try and make up to herfor--"

"Aw, Mr. Rucker, M-i-s-t-e-r Rucker, come home to get ready forsupper, " came in a loud, jovial voice that carried across the streetlike the tocsin of a bass drum. The Rucker home sat in a clump ofsugar maples just opposite the Briars, and was square, solid andunadorned of vine or flower. A row of bright tin buckets hung alongthe picket fence that separated the yard from the store enclosure, andrain-barrels sat under the two front gutters with stolidpracticability, in contrast to the usual relegation of suchstore-houses of the rainfall to the back of the house and the plantingof ferns and water plants under the front sprouts, as was the customfrom the beginning of time in Sweetbriar. Mrs. Rucker in a clean printdress and with glossy and uncompromisingly smoothed hair stood at thenewly whitewashed front gate. "Send him on home, Rose Mary, orgrass'll grow in his tracks and yours, too, if he can hold you longenough, " she added by way of badinage. 

"I'm a-coming, Sally, right on the minute, " answered thepoet-by-stealth, and he hurried across the street with hungryalacrity. The poem-maker was tall and loose-jointed, and the breadthof his shoulders and long muscular limbs decidedly suggested successat the anvil or field furrow. He made a jocular pass at placing hisarm around the uncompromising waist-line of his portly wife, and whenwarded off by an only half-impatient shove he contented himself bywinding one of her white apron strings around one of his long fingersas they leaned together over the gate for further parley with theAlloways across the road. 

"When did you get back, Mrs. Rucker?" asked Rose Mary interestedly, asshe rested her arms on the wall and Uncle Tucker planted himselfbeside her, having brushed away one of the long briar shoots to makeroom for them both. 

"About two hours ago, " answered Mrs. Rucker. "I found everybody infine shape up at Providence, and Mis' Mayberry sent Mr. Tucker a newquinzy medicine that Tom wrote back to her from New York just daybefore yesterday. I made a good trade in hogs with Mr. Hoover formyself and Bob Nickols, too. Mr. Petway had a half-barrel of flour inhis store he were willing to let go cheap, and I bought it for us andyou-all and the Poteets. Me and you can even up on that timothy seedwith the flour, Mr. Tucker, and I'm just a-going to give a measure tothe Poteets as a compliment to that new Poteet baby, which is theseventh mouth to feed on them eighty-five acres. I've set yeast forourn and your rolls for to-morrow, tell your Aunt Mandy, Rose Mary, and I brought that copy of the _Christian Advocate_ for your AuntViney that she lost last month. Mis' Mayberry don't keep hern, butspreads 'em around, so was glad to let me have this one. I asked aboutit before I had got my bonnet-strings untied. Yes, Cal, I'm a-goingon in to give you your supper, for I expect I'll find the children'sand Granny's stomicks and backbones growing together if I don't hurry. That's one thing Mr. Satterwhite said in his last illness, he neverhad had to wait--yes, I'm coming, Granny, " and with the encomium ofthe late Mr. Satterwhite still unfinished Mrs. Rucker hurried up thefront path at the behest of a high, querulous old voice issuing fromthe front windows. 

"Well, there's no doubt about it, no finer woman lives alongProvidence Road than Sallie Rucker, Marthy Mayberry and Selina LueLovell down at the Bluff not excepted, to say nothing of Rose MaryAlloway standing right here in the midst of my own sweet potatovines, " said Uncle Tucker reflectively as he glanced at the retreatingfigure of his sturdy neighbor, which was followed by that of the leanand hungry poet. 

"Yes, she's wonderful, " answered Rose Mary enthusiastically, "but--but I wish she had just a little sympathy for--for poetry. If ahusband sprouts little spirit wings under his shoulders it's a kindthing for his wife not to pick them right out alive, isn't it? When Iget a husband--"

"When you get a husband, Rose Mary, I hope he'll hump his shouldersover a plow-line the number of hours allotted for a man's work andthen fly poetry kites off times and only when the wind is right, "answered Uncle Tucker with a quizzical smile in his big eyes and aquirk at the corner of his mouth. 

"But I'm going always to admire the kites anyway, even if they don'tfly, " answered Rose Mary with the teasing lift of her long lashes upat him. "Maybe just a woman's puff might start a man's kite sky highthat couldn't get off right without it. You can't tell. "

"Yes, child, " answered Uncle Tucker as he looked into the dark eyeslevel with his own with a sudden tenderness, "and you never fail tostart off all kites in your neighborhood. When I took you as a bundleof nothing outen Brother John's arms nearly thirty years ago thisspring jest a perky encouraging little smile in your blue eyes startedmy kite that was a-trailing weary like, and it's sailed mostly by yourwind ever since--especially these last few years. Don't let the breezegive out on me yet, child. "

"It never will, old sweetie, " answered Rose Mary as she took UncleTucker's lean old hand in hers and rubbed her cheek against the sleeveof his rough farm coat. "Is the interest of the mortgage ready forthis quarter?" she asked quietly in almost a whisper, as if afraid todisturb some listening ear with a private matter. 

"It lacks more than a hundred, " answered Uncle Tucker in just as quieta voice, in which a note of pain sounded plainly. "And this is not thefirst time I have fallen behind with Newsome, either. The repairs onthe plows and the food chopper for the barn have cost a good deal, and the coal bill was large this winter. Sometimes, Rose Mary, I--I amafraid to look forward to the end. Maybe if I was younger it would bedifferent and I could pay the debt, but I am afraid--if it wasn't foryour aunts, looks like you and I could let it go and make our waysomewhere out in the world beyond the Ridge, but they are older thanus and we must keep their home as long as we can for 'em. Maybe in afew years--Newsome won't press me, I'm mighty sure. Do you think youcan help me hold on for 'em? I don't matter. "

"We'll never let it go, Uncle Tuck, never!" answered Rose Marypassionately as she pressed her cheek closer to his arm. "I don't knowwhy I know, but we are going to have it as long as they--and you, _you_ need it--and I'm going to die here myself, " she added with alaughing sob as she shook two tears out of her lashes and looked up athim with adorning stars in her eyes. 

"It's as He wills, daughter, " answered Uncle Tucker quietly as helaid a tender hand on the dark braids resting against his shoulder. "It isn't wrong for us to go on keeping it if we can jest pay theinterest to our friend--pay it to the day. That is the only thing thattroubles me. We must not fall behind and--"

"Oh, but honey-sweet, let me tell you, let me tell you!" exclaimedRose Mary with shining eyes, "I've got just lots of money, more thantwenty dollars, nearly twice more. I've saved it just in case we didneed it for this or--or--or any other thing, " she added hastily, notwilling to disclose her tooth project even to Uncle Tucker'ssympathetic ear. 

Uncle Tucker's large eyes brightened with relief for a second and thenclouded with a mist of tears. 

"What were you saving it for, child?" he asked with a quaver in hissweet old voice, and his hand clasped hers more closely. "You don'tever have what pretty women like you want and need, and that's whatgrinds down on me most hardest of all. You are young and--and mightybeautiful, and looks like it's wrong for you to lay down yourself forus who are a good long way on the other side of life's ridge. I oughtto send you back across the hills to--to find your own--no matter whathappens!"

"Try it!" answered Rose Mary, again lifting her star eyes to his. "Iwas saving that money to buy Aunt Viney a set of teeth that she thinksshe wants, but I know she couldn't use them when she gets them. If I'mas beautiful as you say, isn't this blue homespun of great GrandmotherAlloways, made over twentieth century style, adornment enough? Somepeople--that is, some one--Mr. Mark said this morning it was--was_chic_, which means most awfully stylish. I've got one for my back andone for the tub all out of the same old blue bed-spread, and a whitelinen marvel contrived from a pair of sheets for Sunday. Please don'tsend me out into the big world--other people might not think me aslovely as you do, " and her raillery was most beautifully dauntless. 

"The Lord bless you and keep you and make the sun to shine upon you, flower of His own Kingdom, " answered Uncle Tucker with a comfortedsmile breaking over his wistful old face. "I had mighty high dreamsabout you when that young man talked his oil-wells to me a month ago, and I wanted my rose to do some of her flowering for the world to see, but maybe--maybe--"

"She'll flower best here, where her roots go down into Sweetbriarhearts--and Sweetbriar prayers, Uncle Tucker; she knows that's true, and so do you, " answered Rose Mary quickly. "And anyway, Mr. Mark ismaking the soil survey for you, and if we follow his directions thereis no telling what we will make next year, maybe the interest and someof the money, too, and the teeth and--and a sky-blue silk robe forme--if that's what you'd like to see me wear, though it would beinconvenient with the milking and the butter and--"

"Tucker, oh Brother Tucker!" came a call across the garden fence fromthe house, in a weak but commanding voice, and Rose Mary caught aglimpse of Miss Lavinia's white mob cap bobbing at the end of theporch, "that is in Proverbs tenth and nineteenth, and not nineteenthand tenth, like you said. You come right in here and get it straightin your head before the next sun sets on your ignorance. "

"Fly-away!" exclaimed Uncle Tucker, "now Sister Viney's never going toforgive me that Bible slip-up if I don't persuade her from now on tillsupper. But there is nothing more for you to do out here, Rose Mary, the sun'll put out the light for you, " and he hurried away down thepath and through the garden gate. 

Rose Mary remained leaning over the garden wall, looking up and downthe road with interest shining in her eyes and a laugh and nod for theneighbors who were hurrying supperward or stopping to talk with oneanother over fences and gates. A group of men and boys stood and saton the porch in front of the store, and their big voices rang out nowand again with hearty merriment at some exchange of wit or clever bitof horse-play. Two women stood in deep conclave over by the Poteetgate, and the subject of the council was a small bundle of flannel andlawn displayed with evident pride by a comely young woman in a pinkcalico dress. Seeing Rose Mary at the wall, they both smiled andstarted in her direction, the bearer of the bundle stepping carefullyacross the ditch at the side of the walk. 

"Lands alive, Rose Mary, you never did see nothing as pretty as thislast Poteet baby, " exclaimed Mrs. Plunkett enthusiastically. "The yearbefore last one, let me see, weren't that Evelina Virginia, Mis'Poteet? Yes, Evelina Virginia was mighty pretty, but this one beatsher. I declare, if you was to fail us with these spring babies, Mis'Poteet, it would be a disappointment to the whole of Sweetbriar. Comenext April it will be seven without a year's break, astonishing as itdo sound. "

"It would be as bad as the sweetbriar roses not blooming, Mrs. Poteet, " laughed Rose Mary as she held out her arms for the bundlewhich cuddled against her breast in a woman-maddening fashion thatmade her clasp the mite as close as she dared. 

"Yes, I tell you, seven hand-running is enough for any woman to beproud of, Mis' Poteet, and it ought to be taken notice of. Have youheard the news of the ten acres of bottom land to be given to him, Rose Mary? That's what all the men are a-joking of Mr. Poteet aboutover there at the store now. They are a-going to make out the deedto-night. They bought the land from Bob Nickols right next to Mr. Poteet's, crops and all, ten acres of the best land in Sweetbriar. Icall it a nice compliment. 'To Tucker Poteet, from Sweetbriar, is togo right in the deed. "

"'Tucker Poteet, ' oh, Mrs. Poteet, have you named him for UncleTucker?" exclaimed Rose Mary with beaming eyes, and the rapture of herembrace was only modified by a slight squirm from the young heir ofall Sweetbriar. 

"Well, I had had that name in my mind from the first if he come a boy, but when Mr. Poteet got down to the store for some tansy, when heweren't a hour old, he found all the men-folks had done named him thatfor us, and it looked like we didn't have the chance to pass thecompliment. We ain't told you-all nothing about it, for they allwanted Mr. Tucker to read it in the deed first. "

"And ain't them men a-going to have a good time when they give Mr. Tucker that deed to read? Looks like, even if it is some trouble, youcouldn't hardly begrudge Sweetbriar these April babies, Mis' Poteet, "said Mrs. Plunkett in a consoling voice. 

"Law, Mis' Plunkett, I don't mind it one bit. It ain't a mite oftrouble to me to have 'em, " answered the mother of the seven hardily. "You all are so kind to help me out all the time with everything. Course we are poor, but Jim makes enough to feed us, and every singlechild I've got is by fortune, just a hand-down size for somebodyelse's children. Five of 'em just stair-steps into clothes of Mis'Rucker's four, and Mis' Nickols saves me all of Bob's things to cutdown, so I never have a mite of worry over any of 'em. "

"Yes, I reckon maybe the worry spread over seven don't have a chanctto come to a head on any one of 'em, " said Mrs. Plunkett thoughtfully, and her shoulders began to stoop dejectedly as a perturbed expressiondawned into her gray eyes. "Better take him on home now, Mis' Poteet, for sundown is house-time for babies in my opinion. Hand him over, Rose Mary!"

Thus admonished, with a last, clinging embrace, Rose Mary deliveredyoung Tucker to his mother, who departed with him in the direction ofthe Poteet cottage over beyond the milk-house. 

"Is anything worrying you, Mrs. Plunkett? Can I help?" asked Rose Maryas her neighbor lingered for a moment and glanced at her with wistfuleyes. Mrs. Plunkett was small, though round, with mournful big eyesand clad at all times in the most decorous of widow's weeds, even ifthey were of necessity of black calico on week days. Soft little curlsfell dejectedly down over her eyes and her red mouth defied a dimplethat had been wont to shine at the left corner, and kept to confinesof straight-lipped propriety. 

"It's about Louisa Helen again and her light-mindedness. I don't seehow a daughter of mine can act as she does with such a little feeling. Last night Mr. Crabtree shut up the store before eight o'clock and puton his Sunday coat to come over and set on the front steps a-visitingof her, and in less'n a half hour that Bob Nickols had whistled forher from the corner, and she stood at the front gate talking to himuntil every light in Sweetbriar was put out, and I know it muster beenpast nine o'clock. And there I had to set a-trying to distract Mr. Crabtree from her giggling. We talked about Mr. Plunkett and all ouryoung days and I felt real comforted. If I can jest get Louisa Helento see what a proper husband Thomas Crabtree will make for her we canall settle down comfortable like. He wants her bad, from all the signsI can see. "

"But--but isn't Louisa Helen a little young for--" began Rose Mary, taking what seemed a reasonable line of consolation. 

"No, she's not too young to marry, " answered her mother with spirit. "Louisa Helen is eighteen years old in May, and I was married to Mr. Plunkett before my eighteenth birthday. He was twenty-one, and Itreated him with proper respect, too. I never said no such foolishthings as Louisa Helen says to that Nickols boy, even to Mr. Crabtree, hisself. "

"Oh, please don't worry about Louisa Helen, Mrs. Plunkett. She is justso lovely and young--and happy. You and I both know what it is to belike that. Sometimes I feel as if she were just my own youngness thatI had kept pressed in a book and I had found it when I wasn't lookingfor it. " And Rose Mary's smile was so very lovely that even Mrs. Plunkett was dazzled to behold. 

"Lands alive, Rose Mary, you carry your thirty years mighty easy, andthat's no mistake. You put me in mind of that blush peony bush ofyourn by the front gate. When it blooms it makes all the other flowerslook like they was too puny to shake out a petal. And for sheep'seyes, them glances Mr. Gid Newsome casts at you makes all of BobNickols' look like foolish lamb squints. And for what Mr. Mark does inthe line of sheeps--Now there they come, and I can see from LouisaHelen's looks she have invited that rampage in to supper. I'll have tohurry on over and knock up a extra sally-lunn for him, I reckon. Good-by 'til morning!" And Mrs. Plunkett hurried away to thepreparation of supper for the suitor of her disapproval. 

For a few moments longer Rose Mary let her eyes go roaming out overthe valley that was lying in a quiet hush of twilight. 

Lights had flashed up in the windows over the village and a nightbreeze was showering down a fall of apple-blow from the gnarled oldtree that stood like a great bouquet beside the front steps of theBriars. All the orchards along the Road were in bloom and a fragrancelay heavy over the pastures and mingled with the earth scent of thefields, newly upturned by the plowing for spring wheat. 

"Is that a regiment you've got camping in the garden, Rose Mary?"asked Everett as he came up the front walk in the moonlight some twohours later and found Rose Mary seated on the top of the front steps, all alone, with a perfectly dark and sleep-quiet house behind her. 

Rose Mary laughed and tossed a handful of the pink blow she hadgathered over his shoulder. "Did you have your supper at Bolivar?" sheasked solicitously. "I saved you some; want it?"

"Yes, I had a repast at the Citizens', but I think I can manage yoursan hour or two later, " answered Everett as he seated himself besideher and lighted a cigar, from which he began to puff rings out intothe moonlight that sifted down on to them through the young leaves ofthe bloom-covered old tree. "You weren't afraid of frost such a nightas this, were you?" he further inquired, as he took a deep breath ofthe soft, perfume-laden air. 

"I'm not now, but a cool breeze blew up about sundown and made meafraid for my garden babies. Now I'm sure they will all wilt undertheir covers, and you'll have to help me take them all off before yougo to bed. Isn't it strange how loving things make you afraid theywill freeze or wilt or get wet or cold or hungry?" asked Rose Marywith such delightful ingenuousness that a warm little flush rose upover Everett's collar. "Loving just frightens itself, like children inthe dark, " she added musingly. 

"And you saved my supper for me?" asked Everett softly. 

"Of course I did; didn't you know I would?" asked Rose Mary quickly, in her simplicity of heart not at all catching the subtle drift of hisquestion. "They all missed you, and Uncle Tucker went to bed almostgrumpy, while Stonie--"

"Rose Mamie, " came in a sleepy but determined voice as the General ina long-tailed nightshirt appeared in the dark doorway, "I went tosleep and you never came back to hear me pray. Something woke me;maybe the puppy in my bed or maybe God. I'll come out there and say'em so you won't wake the puppy, because he's goned back to sleep, " headded in a voice that was hushed to a tone of extreme considerationfor the slumber of his young bedfellow. 

"Yes, honey-heart, come say them here. Mr. Mark won't mind. I cameback, Stonie, to hear them, truly I did, but you were so fast to sleepand so tired I hated to wake you. " And Rose Mary held out tender armsto the little chap who came and knelt on the floor at her side, between her and Everett. 

"But, Rose Mamie, you know Aunt Viney says tired ain't no 'scuse tothe Lord, and I don't think it are neither. I reckon He's tired, too, sometimes, but He don't go back on the listening, and I ain't a-goingto go back on the praying. It wouldn't be fair. Now start me!" andhaving in a completely argumentative way stated his feelings on thesubject of neglected prayer, the General buried his head on RoseMary's shoulder, folded one bare, pink foot across the other, claspedhis hands at proper angle and waited. 

"_Now I lay me_, " began Rose Mary in a low and tender tone. 

"No, " remonstrated Stonie in a smothered voice from her shoulder, "this is 'Our Father' week! Don't tire out the Lord with the '_Now Ilay me_, ' Rose Mamie!"

With an exclamation of regret Rose Mary clasped him closer and led thepetition on through to its last word, though it was with difficultythat the sleepy General reached his Amen, his will being strong buthis flesh weak. The little black head burrowed under Rose Mary's chinand the clasped pink feet relaxed before the final words were said. For a few minutes Rose Mary held him tenderly and buried her faceagainst the back of the sunburned little neck, while as helpless asyoung Tucker Stonie wilted upon her breast and floated off into thedepths. And for still a few seconds longer Everett sat very still andwatched them with a curious gleam in his eyes and his teeth set hardin his cigar; then he rose, bent over and very tenderly lifted therelaxed General in his arms and without a word strode into the housewith him. Very carefully he laid him in the little cot that stoodbeside Rose Mary's bed in her room down the hall, and with equal carehe settled the little dog against the bare, briar-scratched feet, returned to the moonlight porch and resumed his seat at Rose Mary'sside. 

"There is something about the General, " he remarked with a half smile, "that--that gets next. He has a moral fiber that I hope he will beable to keep resistent to its present extent, but I doubt it. "

"Oh, " said Rose Mary, quickly looking up with pierced, startled eyes, "he must keep it--he must; it is the only hope for him. Tell me if youcan how to help him keep it. Help me help him!"

"Forgive me, " answered Everett in quick distress. "I was onlyscoffing, as usual. He'll keep what you give him, never fear, RoseMary; he's honor bound. "

"Yes, that's what I want him to be--'honor bound. ' You don't knowabout him, but to-night I want to tell you, because I somehow feel youlove him--and us--and maybe if you know, some day you will help him. Just after I came back into the Valley and found them all so troubledand--and disgraced, something came to me I thought I couldn't stand. Always it seemed to me I had loved him, my cousin, Uncle Tucker's son, and I thought--I thought he had loved me. But when he went out intothe world one of the village girls, Granny Satterwhite's daughter, hadfollowed him and--yes, she had been his wife for all the time wethought she was working in the city. They had been afraid--afraid ofUncle Tucker and me--to acknowledge it. She was foolish and hecriminally weak. After his--his tragedy she came back--and nobodywould believe--that she was his wife. I found her lying on the floorin the milk-house and though I was hurt, and hard, I took her into myroom--and in a few hours Stonie was born. When they gave him to me, solittle and helpless, the hurt and hardness all melted for ever, and Ibelieved her and forgave her and him. I never rested until I made himcome back, though it was just to die. She stayed with us a year--andthen she married Todd Crabtree and moved West. They didn't wantStonie, so she gave him to me. When my heart ached so I couldn't standit, there was always Stonie to heal it. Do you think that heartachesare sometimes just growing pains the Lord sends when He thinks we havenot courage enough?" And in the moonlight Rose Mary's tear-starredeyes gleamed softly and her lovely mouth began to flower out into alittle smile. The sunshine of Rose Mary's nature always threw a bowthrough her tears against any cloud that appeared on her horizon. 

"I don't believe your heart ever needed any growing pains, Rose Mary, and I resent each and every one, " answered Everett in a low voice, andhe lifted one of Rose Mary's strong slim hands and held it close for amoment in both his warm ones. 

"Oh, but it did, " she answered, curling her fingers around his like achild grateful for a caress. "I was romantic--and--and intense, and Ithought of it as a castle for--for just one. Now it's grown into awide, wing-spreading, old country house in Harpeth Valley, with vinesover the gables and doves up under the eaves. And in it I keepsunshiny rooms to shelter all the folks in need that my Master sends. Yours--is on the south side--corner--don't you want your supper now?"

CHAPTER V

THE HONORABLE GID

"Now, Amandy, stick them jack-beans in the ground round side upwards. Do you want 'em to have to turn over to sprout?" demanded MissLavinia, as she stood leaning on her crotched stick over by the southside of the garden fence, directing the planting of her favorite vinethat was to be trained along the pickets and over the gate. LittleMiss Amanda, as usual, was doing her best to carry out exactly thebehests of her older and a little more infirm sister. Miss Amanda waspossessed of a certain amount of tottering nimbleness which she put atthe disposal of Miss Lavinia at all times with the most cheerygood-will. Miss Amanda was of the order of little sisters who serveand Miss Lavinia belonged to the sisterhood dominant by nature and bythe consent of Miss Amanda and the rest of her family. 

"It's such a long row I don't know as I'll hold out to finish it, Sister Viney, if I have to stop to finger the beans in such a way asthat. But I'll try, " answered the little worker, going on sticking thebeans in with trembling haste. 

"Let me help you, please, Miss Amanda, " entreated Everett, who hadcome out to watch the bean planting with the intention of offeringaid, with also the certainty of having it refused. 

"No, young man, " answered Miss Lavinia promptly and decidedly. "Thesejack beans must be set in by a hand that knows 'em. We can't run norisks of having 'em to fail to come up. I got the seed of 'em over toSpringfield when me and Mr. Robards was stationed there just beforethe war. Mr. Robards was always fond of flowers, and these jack beansin special. He was such a proper meek man and showed so few likingsthat I feel like I oughter honor this one by growing these vines inplenty as a remembrance, even if he has been dead forty-odd years. "

"Was your husband a minister?" asked Everett in a voice of becomingrespect to the meek Mr. Robards, though he be demised for nearly halfa century. 

"He was that, and a proper, saddlebags-riding, torment-preachingcircuit rider before he was made presiding elder at an astonishingearly age, " answered Miss Lavinia, a fading fire blazing up in herdark eyes. "He saved many a sinner in Harpeth Valley by preaching bothheaven and hell in their fitten places, what's a thing this youngergeneration don't know how to do any more, it seems like. A sermon thatsets up heaven like a circus tent, with a come-sinner-come-all sign, and digs hell no deeper than Mill Creek swimming pool, as is skeercelyover a boy's middle, ain't no sermon at all to my mind. Most preachingin Sweetbriar are like that nowadays. "

"But Brother Robards had a mighty sweet voice and he gave the call ofGod's love so as to draw answers from all hearts, " said Miss Amanda inher own sweet little voice, as she jabbed in the beans with her righthand and drew the dirt over them with her left. 

"Yes, husband was a little inclined to preach from Psalms more'n goodrousing Proverbs, but I always belt him to the main meat of the Gospeland only let him feed the flock on the sweets of faith in properproportion, " answered Miss Lavinia, with an echo in her voice of theenergy expended in keeping the presiding elder to a Jeremiah ratherthan a David rôle in his ministry. 

"It was a mighty blow to the Methodist Church when he was taken awayso young, " said Miss Amanda gently. "I know I said then that theynever would be--"

"Lands alive, if here ain't Miss Viney and Miss Amandy out plantingthe jack beans and I ain't got down not a square foot of summerturnip greens!" exclaimed a hearty voice as Mrs. Rucker hurried upacross the yard to the garden gate. "Now I know I'm a behind-hander, for my ground's always ready, and in go the greens when you all turnspade for the bean vines. Are you a-looking for a little job ofplowing, Mr. Mark? I'd put Mr. Rucker at it, but he give his leftankle a twist yestidy and have had to be kinder quiet, a-setting onthe back porch or maybe a-hobbling over to the store. "

"Yes, I'll plow, if you don't care whether your mule or plow or hamestrings come out alive, " answered Everett with a laugh. Miss Amandahad risen, hurried eagerly over to her favorite neighbor and held outher hand for the pan tendered her. 

"Them's your sally luns, Miss Amandy, and they are a good chanct if Ido say it myself. I jest know you and Rose Mary have got on the bigpot and little kettle for Mr. Newsome, and I'm mighty proud to havethe luns handed around with your all's fixings. I reckon Rose Mary isso comfusticated you can't hardly trust her with no supper rolls orsuch like. Have you seen him yet, Rose Mary?" she asked of Rose Mary, who had appeared at the garden gate. 

"No; I've just come up from the milk-house, " answered Rose Mary with alaughing blush. "When did Mr. Newsome come?"

"Just now, " answered Mrs. Rucker, with further banter in her eyes. "And none of Solomon's lilies in all they glory was ever arrayed likeone of him. You better go frill yourself out, Rose Mary, for the menain't a-going to be able to hold him chavering over there at the storevery long. "

"It will only take me a few minutes to dress, " answered Rose Mary, with a continuation of the blush. "The Aunties are all ready forsupper, and Stonie and Uncle Tucker. Mag has got everything just readyto dish up, and I'll take in the sally luns to be run in the stove atthe last moment. Isn't it lovely to have company? Friends right athome you can show your liking for all the time, but you must becareful to save their share for the others to give to them when theycome. Mr. Mark, don't you want to--"

But before Rose Mary had begun her sentence Mr. Mark Everett, of NewYork City, New York, was striding away across the yard with a longswing, and as he went through the front gate it somehow slipped out ofhis hand and closed itself with a bang. The expression of his back ashe crossed the road might have led one versed in romantics to concludethat a half-unsheathed sword hung at his side and that he had twoflintlocks thrust into his belt. 

And over at the store he found himself in the midst of a jubilation. Mr. Gideon Newsome, of Bolivar, Tennessee, stood in the doorway, andsurrounding him in the store, in the doorway and on the porch was theentire masculine population of Sweetbriar. 

Mr. Newsome was tall and broad and well on the way to portliness. Hislimbs were massive and slow of movement and his head large, with amane of slightly graying hair flung back from a wide, unfurrowed brow. Small and very black eyes pierced out from crinkled heavy lids and abulldog jaw shot out from under a fat beak of a nose. And over thebroad expanse of countenance was spread a smile so sweet, so deep, sohigh that it gave the impression of obscuring the form of featuresentirely. In point of fact it was a thick and impenetrable veil thatthe Senator had for long hung before his face from behind which toview the world at large. And through his mouth, as through a rent inthe smile, he was wont to pour out a volume of voice as musical in itsdrawl and intensified southern burr as the bass note on awell-seasoned 'cello. 

He was performing the obligato of a prohibition hymn for the group offarmers around him when he caught sight of Everett as he came acrossthe street. Instantly his voice was lowered to a honeyedconversational pitch as he came to the edge of the porch and held outa large, fat, white hand, into which Everett laid his own by courtesyperforced. 

"I'm delighted to see you, Mr. Everett, suh, delighted!" he boomed. "And in such evident improved health. I inquired for you at Bolivar assoon as I returned and I was informed that you had come over here tofind perfect restoration to health in the salubrious climate of thiswonderful town of Sweetbriar. I'm glad to see your looks confirm theanswer to my anxious inquiries. And is all well with you?"

"Thank you, Senator, I'm in pretty good shape again, " answered Everettwith a counter smile. "Ten pounds on and I'm in fighting trim. " Thewords were said pleasantly, but for the life of him Everett could notcontrol the hostility of a quick glance that apparently struckharmlessly against the veil of smiles. 

"That there ten pounds had oughter be twenty, Senator, at the rate ofthe Alloway feeding of him, from milk-house to cellar preserve shelf, "said Mr. Crabtree from behind the counter where he was doing up apound of tea for the poet, who found it impossible to take his eyesoff the politician. "Miss Rose Mary ain't give me a glass ofbuttermilk for more'n a week, and they do say she has to keep a loafhandy in the milk-house to feed him 'fore he gets as far as MissAmandy and the kitchen. We're going to run him in a fattening racewith Mis' Rucker's fancy red hog she's gitting ready for the StateFair and the new Poteet baby, young Master Tucker Poteet ofSweetbriar. "

"So there's a new Poteet young man, and named for my dear friend, Mr. Alloway! My congratulations, Mr. Poteet!" exclaimed the senator as hepumped the awkward, horny hand of the embarrassed but proud Mr. Poteetup and down as if it were the handle of the town pump. "I must besure to have an introduction to the young man. Want to meet all thevoters, " he added, shaking out the smile veil with energy. 

And at this very opportune moment he looked down the Road and espied aprocession of presentation approaching. The General in the midst ofthe Swarm was coming at a breakneck speed and clasped firmly in hisarms he held a small blue bundle. On his right galloped Tobe withShoofly swung at her usual dangerous angle on his hip, and JennieRucker supported his left wing, with stumbling Petie pulled alongbetween her hand and that of small Peggy. Around and behind swarmedthe rest of the Poteet seven, the Ruckers and the Nickols, with Mrs. Sniffer and the five little dogs bringing up the rear. 

"Well, well, and what have we here?" exclaimed the great man as hedescended and stood in front of the lined-up cohorts. 

"It's the Poteet baby, " answered the General with precision. "Webringed him to show you. He's going to be a boy; they can't nothingchange him now. Shoofly is a girl, but Mis' Poteet didn't fool us thistime. Besides if he'd been a girl we wouldn't a-had him for nothing. "

"Why, young man, you don't mean to discredit the girls, do you?"demanded the Senator with a gallantly propitiating glance in thedirection of Jennie, Peggy and the rest of the bunch of assorted pinkand blue little calico petticoats. "Why could anything be finer than asweet little girl?" And as he spoke he rested his hand on Jennie'stow-pigtailed head. 

"Well, what's sweet got to do with it if we've got too many of 'em?"answered the General in his usual argumentative tone. "Till littleTucker comed they was three more girls than they was boys, and itwasn't fair. Now they is just two more, and four of Sniffie's puppiesis boys, so that makes it most even until another one comes, what'lljust _have_ to be a boy. " And the General cast a threatening glancein the direction of the calico bunch as he issued this ultimatum tofeminine Sweetbriar. 

"I'll ask Maw, " murmured Jennie bashfully, but Miss Peggy turned upher small nose and switched her short skirts scornfully as the men onthe porch laughed and the Senator emitted a very roar in his boomingbass. 

"Well, well, we'll have to settle that later, " he said in his mostpropitiating urge-voter voice as he cast a smile over the entireSwarm. "Hadn't you better carry the young man back to his mother? Heseems to be restless, " he further remarked, taking advantage of aslight squirm in which young Tucker indulged himself, though he wasnot at all uncomfortable in Stonie's arms, accustomed as he was tobeing transported in any direction at any time by any one of hisconfrères. And with this skilful hint of dismissal the Senator bentdown and bestowed the imperative political kiss on the little pinkPoteet head, smattered one or two over Shoofly and Pete, landed one onthe tip of Jennie Rucker's little freckled nose and started them allup the Road in good order as he turned once more to the men in thestore. 

But the advent of the Swarm had served to remind the group of hisfriends that the time for the roof-tree gathering was fastapproaching, and Mr. Crabtree was busy filling half-forgotten supperorders for impatient waiters, while most of the men had gone up ordown the Road in the wake of the scattering Swarm. For a few minutesthe Senator and Everett were left on the porch steps alone. 

"I hear from some of the men that you have been able to do someprospecting in the last weeks, Mr. Everett, " remarked the Senatorcasually from behind the veil, as he accepted and lighted a cigar. 

"Just knocked around a bit, " answered Everett carelessly. "The wholeMississippi Valley is interesting geologically. There is quite apromise of oil here, but practically no outcrop. "

"Your examination been pretty thorough--professional?" queried theSenator, still in an equally careless voice, though his little eyesgleamed out of their slits. 

"Oh, yes, I thrashed it all out, especially Mr. Alloway's place. I'dlike to have found oil for him--and the rest of Sweetbriar, too, butit isn't here. " Everett spoke decidedly, and there was a note in hisvoice as if to end the discussion. His own eyes he kept down on hiscigar and, as he lounged against a post he had an air of beingslightly bored by an uninteresting shop topic. The Senator looked athim a few seconds keenly, started to make a trivial change in theconversation, then made a flank movement, bent toward Everett andbegan to speak in a suave and most confidential manner. 

"I'm sorry, too, you didn't find the oil on the old gentleman'splace, " he said in his most open and dulcet tones. "I am very fond ofMr. Alloway; I may say of the whole family. Farming is too hard workfor him at his years and I would have liked for him to have had theease of an increased income. Some time ago a phosphate expert examinedthese regions, but reported nothing worth working. I had more hope ofthe oil. As I say, I am interested in Mr. Alloway and the family--Imay say it to you in confidence, particularly interested in one of themembers. " And the smile that the Senator bestowed upon Everett arouseda keen desire for murder in the first degree. There was a challengeand a warning in it and a cunning, too, that was deeper than both. Controlling his impulse to smash the Senatorial bulldog jaw, Everett'smind went instantly after the cunning. 

"So you only got the phosphate in your examination report of theAlloway place?" he asked in a friendly, interested tone, as if thehint had failed to make a landing. The cunning in his own glance andtone he was shrewd enough to hide. 

"That was about all--nothing that was worth taking up then, " answeredthe Senator again carelessly, and at that moment Mr. Crabtree came outto join them. 

In a few minutes Everett threw away his cigar, glanced across at theBriars, where he could see Rose Mary and Uncle Tucker establishingMiss Lavinia, in her high company cap, in the big chair on the frontporch, and without a word he strode out the back door of the store andacross the fields toward Boliver. He stopped at the Rucker side fenceand entrusted a message to the willing Jenny, and then went on intothe twilight in the direction of the lights of the distant town. 

And as he walked along his mood was, to say the least, savage, and hecut, with a long switch he had picked up, at some nodding little windbells that had begun to show their colors along the side of the road. He was hungry and he was having his supper in detached visions. NowRose Mary was handing the Senator a plate of high-piled supper rolls, each with a golden stream of butter cascading down the side, and asher lovely bare arm held them across to the guest probably she washelping Stonie's plate with her other hand to a spoonful of creamgravy over his nicely browned chicken leg. On her side of the tableMiss Lavinia was pouring the rich cream over her bowl of steaming mushand the materialized aroma from Uncle Tucker's cup of coffee that RoseMary had just poured him brought tears to Everett's eyes. Then came aflash of Aunt Amandy helping herself under Rose Mary's urging to asecond crisp waffle, and the Senator was preparing to accept hissixth, impelled by the same solicitous smile that had landed thesecond on the little old lady's plate. Again Rose Mary was pouring theSenator's second cup and stirring in the cream. If she had lifted thespoon to her lips, as she always did with Uncle Tucker's andsometimes forgot and did with his, Everett would have--And at thispoint he turned the bend and ran smash into the dramatic scene of aromance. 

Seated by the side of the road was Louisa Helen Plunkett, and beforeher stood young Bob Nickols, an agony of helplessness showing in everyline of his face and big loose-jointed figure, for Louisa Helen wasweeping into a handkerchief and one of her blue muslin sleeves. And itwas not a series of sentimental sobs and sighs or controlled andeffective sniffs in which Louisa Helen was indulging, but she wasboo-hooing in good earnest with real chokings and gurgles of sobs. Bobwas screwing the toe of his boot into the dust and saying and doingabsolutely and desperately nothing. 

"Why, Louisa Helen, what is the matter?" demanded Everett as he seatedhimself beside the wailer and endeavored to bring down the pitch ofthe sobs by a kindly pat on the heaving shoulder. 

"What's happened, Bob?" he demanded of the silent and dejected lover, who only shook his head as he answered from the depths of confusion. 

"I don't know; she just of a sudden flung down and began to hollow andI ain't never got her to say. "

"Oh, I want a supper and a veil and a bokay!" came in a perfect howlfrom the folds of the sleeve. 

"I want some supper, too, Louisa Helen, " said Everett quickly, and asmile lifted the corners of his mouth as the situation began tounravel itself to his sympathetic concern. "I guess I could take thebouquet and veil, too, " he added to himself in an undertone. 

"I ain't a-going to let Maw insult Bob no more, but I don't want noBoliver wedding in the office of no hotel. I want to be married wherefolks can look at me, and have something good to eat, and throw oldshoes and rice at me, " came in a more constrained and connected flow, as the poor little fugitive raised her head from her arm and reacheddown to settle her skirts about her ankles, from which she had flirtedthem in the kicks of one of her most violent paroxysms. Louisa Helenwas very young and just as pretty as she was young. She was rosy anddimpled and had absurd little baby curls trailing down over her eyes, and her tears had no more effect on her face than a summer shower. 

"Why, what did your mother say to Bob?" asked Everett, thus drawn intothe position of arbitrator between two family factions. 

"She told him that Jennie Rucker would be about his frying size whenhe got old enough to pick a wife, and it hurt his feelings so hedidn't come to see me for a week, and he says he ain't never coming nomore. If I want him I will have to go over to Boliver and marry himto-morrow. " A sob began to rise again in the poor little brideprospective's throat at the thought of the horrible Boliver wedding. 

The autocrat shifted uneasily, and in the dusk Everett could see thathe was completely melted and ready to surrender his position if hecould only find the line of retreat. 

"Well, " said Everett judicially, as he looked up at Bob with a wink, which was answered by the slightest beginning of laugh from theinsulted one, "I don't believe Bob wants to do without that bouquetand veil and supper either. They are just the greatest things thatever happen to a man"--another wink at Bob--"and Bob don't want togive them up. Now suppose you go on back home to-night and don't sayanything to your mother about the matter, and to-morrow I'll ask Mr. Crabtree to step over and make it up with Bob for her. I feel sureshe'll invite them both in to supper, and then sometime soon we canall discuss the veil-bouquet question. You aren't in a hurry, areyou?"

"Naw, " answered Bob promptly. "Me and Paw ain't got all the winterwheat in yet, and we've got to cut clover next week. We're mightybusy now. I ain't in no hurry. "

"And I don't want to get married no way except when the briar roses isin bloom so I can have the church tucked out in 'em. And I've got toget some pretty clothes made, too, " answered Louisa Helen, thusputting in direct contrast the feminine and masculine attitude towardsnuptials in general and also in particular. 

"Then go on back home, you two, " said Everett with a laugh, as he roseto his feet and drew to hers the now smiling Louisa Helen. "And Ipredict that by the time the briar roses are out something will happento make it all right. Put your faith in Mr. Crabtree, I should advise, I suspect that he has--er influence with your mother. " A giggle fromLouisa Helen and a guffaw from Bob, as the two young people started onback along the Road, showed that they had both appreciated his veiledsally. 

And as he stood watching them out of sight down the Road the twilightfaded from off the Valley and darkness came down in a starlit veilfrom over old Harpeth. Everett climbed up and seated himself on thetop rail of the fence and again gave himself over to his moods. Thistime one of bitterness, almost anger, rose to the surface. The sameold wheel grinding out here in the wilderness that he had left in themarket places of the world. The vision he had caught of the greatcycle being turned by some still greater source above the hills was--avision. The wheels ground on with the victims strapped and the cogsdripping. Loot and the woman--loot and the woman! And he had thoughtthat out here "_in the hollow of His hand_" he had lost the sound ofthat grind. And such a woman--the lovely gracious thing with theunfaithful, dishonored lover's child in her arms, other women'stumbling children clinging to her skirts and with hands outstretchedto protect and comfort the old gray heads in her care! A woman with asorrow in her heart but with eyes that were deep blue pools in whichthere mirrored loves for all her little world! For a long time he satand looked out into the darkness, then suddenly he squared hisshoulders, gripped the rail tight in his hands for a half second andthen slipped to the ground. Picking up his switch he turned and strodeoff toward Sweetbriar, which by this time was a little handful offireflys glowing down in the sweet meadows. 

When he got as far as the blacksmith's shop Everett climbed the walland approached the house through the garden, for in front of the storehad been piled high a bonfire of empty boxes and dry wood boughs, andmost of the inhabitants of Sweetbriar, small fry and large, wereassembled in jocular groups around its blaze of light. He could seeMr. Crabtree and Bob rolling out an empty barrel to serve as aspeaking stand for the Honorable Gid, who stood in the foreground infront of the store steps talking to Uncle Tucker, with an admiringcircle around him. Horses and wagons and buggies were hitched atvarious posts along the road, which indicated the gathering of a smallcrowd from neighboring towns to hear the coming oration, and the frontporch of the store presented a scene of unwonted excitement. 

Everett clicked the garden gate and steered around to the back door ofthe kitchen in hopes of finding black Mag still at her post andbegging of her a glass of milk and a biscuit. But as he stood in thedoorway, instead of Mag he discovered Rose Mary with her white skirtstucked up under one of her long kitchen aprons, putting the finalpolishing touch to a shining pile of dishes. She looked up at him fora second, and then went on with her work, and Everett could see thather curled lips were trembling like a hurt child's. 

"I--I thought I might get a bite of something from--from Mag if shehadn't left--the kitchen--I--I--" Everett hesitated on the thresholdand in speech. "I--I am sorry to trouble you, " he finished lamely. 

"I don't believe you care--care if you do, " answered Rose Mary, andher blue eyes showed a decided temper spark under their black lashes. "I see I made a mistake in expecting anything of you. A friend'sfingers ought not to slip through yours when you need them to holdtight. But come, get your supper--"

"Please, Rose Mary, I'm most awfully ashamed, " he said as he came andstood close beside her, and there was a note in his voice that fairlystartled him with its tenderness. "I'm just a cross old bear, and Idon't deserve anything, no supper and no--no Rose Mary to care whetherI'm hungry or not and no--"

"But I put the supper up, " said Rose Mary, with a little laugh andcatch in her voice. "I couldn't let you be hungry, even if you didtreat me that way. "

"Didn't Jennie Rucker come to tell you I couldn't get here tosupper?" asked Everett with what he felt to be a contemptible feint ofdefense. 

"Yes, she came; but you knew we were going to have company and that Iwanted you to be here. You know Mr. Newsome is the best friend we havein the world and your staying away meant that you didn't care if hehad been good to us. It hurt me! And the first bowl of lilacs was onthe table; I had been saving them for a surprise for you for two days, and everything was so good and just as you like it and--" Rose Mary'svoice faltered again and a little tear splashed on the saucer she heldpoised in her hand. 

"Well, " answered Everett, like a sulky boy, "I didn't want any of theHonorable Gid Newsome's lilacs or waffles or fried chicken, and Ididn't want to see you fix any coffee for him, " he ended by blurtingout. 

"I didn't--I--that is--you are _horrid_, " answered Rose Mary, but sheraised her eyes to his in which smiles waltzed around with tears andthe glint of her white teeth showed through red lips curling withlaugh that was forcing itself over them by way of the dimple in thecorner of her chin. "Anyway, what I have here on the top of the stoveis your waffles and your fried chicken, and these are your lilacs, "and she drew out a purple spray from her belt and dropped it on thetable beside him. "Sit down and I'll give it all to you right herewhile I finish wiping the dishes. Mag was taken with a spell beforesupper was over and had to go lie down and I stayed to finish thingswhile the others went over to the speaking, " she added as she began tobustle about with her usual hospitable concern. 

"You are an angel, Rose Mary Alloway, " said Everett as he placedhimself on a split-bottom kitchen chair, bestowed his long legs underthe table and drew up as near to Rose Mary and her dish-towel as waspossible to be sure of keeping out of the flirt. "And I--I'm abrute, " he added contritely, though he dared a quick kiss on the barearm next and close to him. 

"No, you're not--just a boy, " answered Rose Mary, as she set hissupper on the table before him. She had poured his coffee, stirred inthe cream and sugar and then laid the spoon decorous and straight inthe saucer beside the cup. For an instant Everett sat very still andlooked at her, then she picked up the cup and tipped it against herlips, sipped judiciously and set it down with a satisfied air. Forjust a second her eyes had gleamed down at him over the edge of thecup and a tiny laugh gurgled in her throat as she swallowed her sip ofhis beverage. 

"That was mine, anyway--he can have his chicken wings, " said Everettwith a laugh as he began operations on the food before him. 

"It wasn't a very nice party, " answered Rose Mary as she went on withher work on the pile of china. "Stonie acted awfully. He piled up hisplate with pieces of chicken, and when Aunt Viney reproved him hesaid he was saving it for you. And Aunt Viney said she was sure youwere sick, and then Uncle Tucker wanted to go look for you and I hadto tell him before them all that you had sent me word. Then AuntAmandy said she was afraid you were not a Prohibitionist, and AuntViney said she would have to talk to you in the morning. Then they alltold Mr. Newsome all about you, and I don't think he liked it muchbecause he likes to tell us things about himself. We are so fond ofhim, and we always want to hear him talk about where he has been andwhat he has done. I tried to stop them and make him talk, but Icouldn't. It's strange how liking a person gets them on your mind sothat even if you don't talk about them you think about them all thetime, isn't it? But I oughtn't to blame them, for I was so afraid theywouldn't leave enough of things for you that I forgot to talk myself. I was glad Stonie acted that way about the chicken, for the piece hesaved made three pieces of white meat for you. Oh, please let'shurry, because we will miss the speaking if we don't. Mr. Newsomemakes such beautiful speeches that I want you to hear him. Is thereany kind of pride in the world like that you have over your friends?"

CHAPTER VI

THE ENEMY, THE ROD AND THE STAFF

And the days that followed the Senator's prohibition rally atSweetbriar were those of carnival for jocund spring all up and downProvidence Road and out over the Valley. Rugged old Harpeth began tobe crowned with wreaths of tender green and pink which trailed downits sides in garlands that spread themselves out over meadow and farmaway beyond the river bend. Overnight, rows of jonquils in Mrs. Poteet's straggling little garden lifted up golden candlestick headsto be decapitated at an early hour and transported in tight littlebunches in dirty little fists to those of the neighbors whose springflowers had failed to open at such an early date. In spite of whatseemed an open neglect, the Poteet flowers were always more prolificand advanced than any others along the Road, much to the pride of theequally prolific and spring-blooming Mrs. Poteet. And in a spirit ofnature's accord the white poet's narcissus showed starry flowers tothe early sun in the greatest abundance along the Poteet fence thatbordered on the Rucker yard. They peeped through the pickets, and whoknows what challenge they flung to the poetic soul of Mr. Caleb Ruckeras he sat on the side porch with his stockinged feet up on a chair andhis nose tilted to an angle of ecstatic inhalation?

Down at the Plunketts the early wistaria vine that garlanded the frontporch hung thick with long purple clusters which dropped continuallylittle bouquets of single blossoms with perfect impartiality on thehead of widow and maid, as the compromise of entertaining both youngBob and Mr. Crabtree at the same time was carried out by Louisa Helen. And often with the most absolute unconsciousness the demure littlewidow allowed herself to be drawn by the wily Mr. Crabtree into themystic circle of three, which was instantly on her appearancedissolved into clumps of two. And if the prodigal vine showeredblessings down upon a pair of clasped hands hid beside Louisa Helen'sfluffy pink muslin skirts nobody was the wiser, except perhaps Mr. Crabtree. 

And perched on the side of the hill the Briars found itself in aperfect avalanche of blossoms. The snowballs hung white and heavy fromlong branches, and gorgeous lilac boughs bent and swayed in the wind. A clump of bridal wreath by the front gate was a great white driftagainst the new green of a crimson-starred burning bush, while over itall trailed the perfume-laden honeysuckle which bowered the frontporch, decorated trellis and trees and finally flung its blossoms downthe hill to well-nigh cloister Rose Mary's milk-house. 

One balmy afternoon Everett brushed aside a spray of the pink andwhite blossoms and stood in the stone doorway with his prospectingkit in his hands. Rose Mary lifted quick welcoming eyes to his andwent on with her work with bowl and paddle. Everett had some timesince got to the point where it was well-nigh impossible for him tolook directly into Rose Mary's deep eyes, quaff a draft of thetenderness that he always found offered him and keep equanimity enoughto go on with the affairs in hand. What business had a woman's eyes tobe so filled with a young child's innocence, a violet's shyness, apassion of fostering gentleness, mirth that ripples like the surfaceof the crystal pools, and--could it be dawning--love? Everett had beenin a state of uncertainty and misery so abject that it hid itselfunder an unusually casual manner that had for weeks kept Rose Maryfrom suspecting to the least degree the condition of his mind. Thereis a place along the way in the pilgrimage to the altar of Love, whenthe god takes on an awe-inspiring phase which makes a man hide hiseyes in his hands with fear of the most abject. At such times with herlamp of faith a woman goes on ahead and lights the way for both, butwhile Rose Mary's flame burned strongly, her unconsciousness wasprofound. 

"I'm so glad you came, " she said with the usual rose signal to him inher cheeks. "I've been wondering where you were and just a little bituneasy about you. Mr. Newsome has been here and wants to see you. Hestayed to dinner and waited for you for two hours. Stonie and Tobe andall the others looked for you. I know you are hungry. Will you have adrink of milk before I go with you to get your dinner I saved?"

"What did the Honorable Gid want?" asked Everett, and there was astrange excitement in his eyes as he laid his hand quickly on a small, irregular bundle of stones that bulged out of his kit. His voice had asharp ring in it as he asked his question. 

"Oh, I think he just wanted to see you because he likes you, "answered Rose Mary with one of her lifted glances and quick smiles. "Abody can take their own liking for two other people and use it as agood strong rope just to pull them together sometimes. I'm awfullyfond of Mr. Newsome--and you, " she added as she came over from one ofthe crocks with Peter Rucker's blue cup brimming with ice cold creamin her hand and offered it to Everett. 

Instead of taking the cup from her Everett clasped his fingers aroundher slender wrist in the fashion of young Petie and thus with her handraised the cup to his lips. And as his eyes looked down over its bluerim into hers the excitement in them died down, first into a very deeptenderness that changed slowly into a quiet determination which seemedto be pouring a promise and a vow into her very soul. Something in thestrange look made Rose Mary's hand tremble as he finished the lastdrop in the cup, and again her lovely, always-ready rose flushed upunder her long lowered lashes. "Is it good and cold?" she asked witha little smile as she turned away with the cup. 

"Yes, " answered Everett quietly, "it's all to the good and the milkto the cold. "

"Is that a compliment to me and the milk, too?" laughed Rose Mary fromover by the table as she again took up her butter-paddle. "It's niceto find things as is expected of them, women good and milk cold, isn'tit?" she queried teasingly. 

"Yes, " answered Everett from across the table. 

"And any way a woman must be a comfort to folks, just as a rose mustsmell sweet, because they're both born for that, " continued Rose Maryas she lifted a huge pat of the butter on to a blue saucer. "Men aresometimes a comfort, too--and sweet, " she added with a roguish glanceat him over the butter flower she was making. 

"No, Rose Mary, men are just thorns, cruel and slashing--but sometimesthey protect the rose, " answered Everett in his most cynical tone ofvoice, though the excitement again flamed up in his dark eyes andagain his hand closed over the kit at his side. "Do you know what Ithink I'll do?" he added. "I think I'll take old Gray and jog over toBoliver for a while. I'll see the Senator, and I want to get a wirethrough to the firm in New York if I can. I'll eat both the dinner andsupper you have saved when I come back, though it may be late before Iget my telegram. Will you be still awake, do you think?"

"I may not be awake, for Stonie got me up so awfully early to help himand Uncle Tucker grease those foolish little turkeys' heads to keepoff the dew gaps, but I'll go to sleep on the settee in the hall, andyou can just shake me up to give you your supper. "

"I'll do nothing of the kind, you foolish child, " answered Everett. "Go to bed and--but a woman can't manage her dreams, can she?"

"Oh, dreams are only little day thoughts that get out of the coop andrun around lost in the dark, " answered Rose Mary, with a laugh. "I'vegot a little bronze-top turkey dream that is yours, " she added. 

"Is it one of the foolish flock?" Everett called back from the middleof the plank across the spring stream, and without waiting for hisanswer he strode down the Road. 

And the smile that answered his sally had scarcely faded off RoseMary's face when again a shadow fell across the plank and in a momentMr. Crabtree stood in the doorway. Across the way the store wasdeserted and from the chair he drew just outside the door he could seeif any shoppers should approach from either direction. 

"Well, Miss Rose Mary, I thought as how I'd drop over and see if youhad any buttermilk left in that trough you are fattening Mr. Mark at, for the fair in the fall, " he said with a twinkle in his merry littleblue eyes. And Rose Mary laughed with appreciation at his oftenrepeated little joke as she handed him a tall glassful of the desiredbeverage. 

"I'm afraid Stonie will get the blue ribbon from over his head if hekeeps on drinking so much milk. Did you ever see anybody grow like myboy does?" asked Rose Mary with the most manifest pride in her voiceand eyes. 

"I never did, " answered Mr. Crabtree heartily. "And that jest remindsme to tell you that a letter come from Todd last night a-telling meand Granny Satterwhite about the third girl baby borned out to hishouse in Colorado City. Looked like they was much disappointed. Ikinder give Todd a punch in the ribs about how fine a boy GeneralStonewall Jackson have grown to be. I never did hold with a womana-giving away her child, though she couldn't have done the part you doby Stonie by a long sight. "

"Oh, what would I have done without Stonie, Mr. Crabtree!" exclaimedRose Mary with a deep sadness coming into her lovely eyes. "You knowhow it was!" she added softly, claiming his sympathy with a littlegesture of her hand. 

"Yes, I do know, " answered the store-keeper, his big heart givinginstant response to the little cry. "And on him you've done given alesson in child raising to the whole of Sweetbriar. They ain't a childon the Road, girl or boy, that ain't being sorter patterned after theGeneral by they mothers. And the way the women are set on him is plumbfunny. Now Mis' Plunkett there, she's got a little tin bucket jest tohold cakes for nobody but Stonie Jackson, which he distributes to therest, fair and impartial. I kinder wisht Mis' Plunkett would be alittle more free with--with--" And the infatuated old bachelor laughedsheepishly at Rose Mary across her butter-bowl. 

"When a woman bakes little crisp cakes of affection in her heart, andthe man she wants to have ask her for them don't, what must she do?"asked Rose Mary with a little laugh that nevertheless held a slightnote of genuine inquiry in it. 

"Just raise the cover of the bucket and let him get a whiff, " answeredMr. Crabtree, shaking with amusement. "'Tain't no use to offer a manno kind of young lollypop when he have got his mouth fixed on a niceold-fashioned pound-cake woman, " he added in a ruthful tone of voiceas he and Rose Mary both laughed over the trying plight in which hefound his misguided love affairs. "There comes that curly apple puffnow. Howdy, Louisa Helen; come across the plank and I'll give you thischair if I have to. "

"I don't wanter make you creak your joints, " answered Louisa Helenwith a pert little toss of her curly head as she passed him and stoodby Rose Mary's table. "Miss Rose Mary, I wanter to show you thisSunday waist I've done made Maw and get you to persuade her some aboutit for me. I put this little white ruffle in the neck and sleeves anda bunch of it down here under her chin, and now she says I've got totake it right off. Paw's been dead five years, and I've most forgothow he looked. Oughtn't she let it stay?"

"I think it looks lovely, " answered Rose Mary, eying the waist withenthusiasm. "I'll come down to see your mother and beg her to let itstay as soon as I get the butter worked. Didn't she look sweet withthat piece of purple lilac I put in her hair the other night? Did shelet that stay?"

"Yes, she did until Mr. Crabtree noticed it, and then she threw itaway. Wasn't he silly?" asked Louisa Helen with a teasing giggle atthe blushing bachelor. 

"It shure was foolish of me to say one word, " he admitted with alaugh. "But I tell you girls what I'll do if you back Mis' Plunkettinto that plum pretty garment with its white tags. I'll go over toBoliver and bring you both two pounds of mixed peppermint andchocolate candy with a ribbon tied around both boxes, and maybe somepretty strings of beads, too. Is it a bargain?" And Rose Mary smiledappreciatively as Louisa Helen gave an eager assent. 

At this juncture a team driven down the Road had stopped in front ofthe store, and from under the wide straw hat young Bob Nickols' eagereyes lighted on Louisa Helen's white sunbonnet which was being flirtedpartly in and partly out of the milk-house door. As he threw down thereins he gave a low, sweet quail whistle, and Louisa Helen's responsewas given in one liquid note of accord. 

"Lands alive, it woulder been drinking harm tea to try to whistle awoman down in my day, but now they come a-running, " remarked Mr. Crabtree to Rose Mary, as he prepared to take his departure in thewake of the pink petticoats that had hurried across the street. 

Then for another hour Rose Mary worked alone in the milk-house, humming a happy little tune to herself as she pounded and patted andmoulded away. Every now and then she would glance down Providence Roadtoward Boliver, far away around the bend, and when at last she saw oldGray and her rider turn behind the hill she began to straighten thingspreparatory to a return to the Briars. In the world-old drama ofcreation which is being ever enacted anew in the heart of a woman, itis well that the order of evolution is reversed and only after thebringing together and marshaling of forces unsuspected even by herselfcomes the command for light on the darkness of the situation. RoseMary was as yet in the dusk of the night which waited for the voice ofGod on the waters, and there was yet to come the dawn of her firstday. 

And in the semi-mist of the dream she finally ascended the hill towardthe Briars with a bucket in one hand and a sunbonnet swinging in theother. But coming down the trail she met one of the little tragediesof life in the person of Stonewall Jackson, who was draggingdejectedly across the yard from the direction of the back door withMrs. Sniffer and all five little dogs trailing in his wake. And as ifin sympathy with his mood, the frisky little puppies were waddlingalong decorously while Sniffer poked her nose affectionately into thelittle brown hand which was hanging without its usual jaunty swing. Rose Mary took in the situation at a glance and sank down under one ofthe tall lilac bushes and looked up with adoring eyes as Stonie cameand took a spread-legged stand before her. 

"What's the matter, honey-sweet?" she asked quickly. 

"Rose Mamie, it's a lie that I don't know whether I told or not. It'sso curious that I don't hardly think God knows what I did, " and theGeneral's face was set and white with his distress. 

"Tell me, Stonie, maybe I can help you decide, " said Rose Mary withquick sympathy. 

"It was one of them foolish turkey hens and Tobe sat down on her anda whole nest of most hatched little turkeys. Didn't nobody know shewas a-setting in the old wagon but Aunt Amandy, and we was a-climbinginto it for a boat on the stormy sea, we was playing like. It wasmighty bad on Tobe's pants, too, for he busted all the eggs. Lookslike he just always finds some kind of smell and falls in it. I knowMis' Poteet'll be mad at him. And then in a little while here comeAunt Amandy to feed the old turkey, and she 'most cried when she foundthings so bad all around everywhere. We had runned behind thecorn-crib, but when I saw her begin to kinder cry I comed out. Thenshe asked me did I break up her nest she was a-saving to surpriseUncle Tucker with, and I told her no ma'am I didn't--but I didn't tellher I was with Tobe climbing into the wagon, and it only happened heslid down first on the top of the old turkey. It don't _think_ like tome it was a lie, but it _feels_ like one right here, " and Stonie laidhis hand on the pit of his little stomach, which was not far away fromthe seat of his pain if the modern usage assigned the solar-plexus becorrect. 

"And did Tobe stay still behind the corn-crib and not come out to tellAunt Amandy he was sorry he had ruined her turkey nest?" asked RoseMary, bent on getting all the facts before offering judgment. 

"Yes'm, he did, and now he's mighty sorry, cause Tobe loves AuntAmandy as well as being skeered of the devil. He says if it was AuntViney he'd rather the devil would get him right now than tell her, butif you'll come lend him some of my britches he will come in and tellAunt Amandy about it. He's tooken his off and he has to stay in thecorn-crib until I get something for him to put on. "

"Of course I'll come get some trousers for Tobe and a clean shirt, too, and I know Aunt Amanda will be glad to forgive him. Tobe isalways so nice to her and she'll be sorry he's sorry, and then itwill be all right, won't it?" And thus with a woman's usual shrinkingfrom meeting the question ethical, Rose Mary sought to settle thematter in hand out of court as it were. 

"No, Rose Mamie, I ain't sure about that lie yet, " asserted theGeneral in a somewhat relieved tone of voice, but still a littleuneasy about the moral question involved in the case. "Did I tell itor not? Do you know, Rose Mamie, or will I have to wait till I go toGod to find out?"

"Stonie, I really don't know, " admitted Rose Mary as she drew thelittle arguer to her and rested her cheek against the sturdy littleshoulder under the patched gingham shirt. "It was not your business totell on Tobe but--but--please, honey-sweet, let's leave it to God, now. He understands, I'm sure, and some day when you have grown a bigand wise man you'll think it all out. When you do, will you tell RoseMamie?"

"Yes, I reckon I'll have to wait till then, and I'll tell you sure, Rose Mamie, when I do find out. I won't never forget it, but I hopemaybe Tobe won't get into no more mess from now till then. Please comefind the britches for me!" And consoled thus against his will theGeneral followed Rose Mary to the house and into their room, eager forthe relief and rehabiting of the prisoner. 

And in a few minutes the scene of the _amende honorable_ betweenlittle Miss Amanda and the small boys was enacted out on the backsteps, well out of sight and hearing of Miss Lavinia. A new bond wasinstituted between the little old lady, who was tremulous witheagerness to keep the culprit from any form of self-reproach, andTobe, the unfortunate, who was one of her most ardent admirers at alltimes. And it was sealed by a double handful of tea-cakes to bothoffenders. 

After she had watched the boys disappear in the direction of the barn, intent on making a great clean-up job of the disaster under MissAmanda's direction, Rose Mary wended her way to the garden for aprecious hour of communion with her flowers and vegetable nurserybabies. She had just tucked up her skirts and started in with a lighthoe when she espied Uncle Tucker coming slowly up Providence Road fromthe direction of the north woods. Something a bit dejected in his stepand a slightly greater stoop in his shoulders made her throw down herweapon of war on the weeds and come to lean over the wall to wait forhim. 

"What's the matter, old Sweetie--tired?" she demanded as he camealongside and leaned against the wall near her. His big gray eyes weretroubled and there was not the sign of the usual quizzical smile. Theforelock hung down in a curl from under the brim of the old gray hatand the lavender muffler swung at loose ends. As he lighted the oldcob his lean brown hands trembled slightly and he utterly refused tolook into Rose Mary's eyes. "What is it, honey-heart?" she demandedagain. 

"What's what, Rose Mary?" asked Uncle Tucker with a slight rift in thegloom. "They are some women in the world, if a man was to seal up histrouble in a termater-can and swoller it, would get a button-hook anda can-opener to go after him to get it out. You belong to thatpersuasion. "

"I want to be the tomato-can--and not be 'swollered', " answered RoseMary as she reached over and gently removed the tattered gray rooffrom off the white shock and began to smooth and caress its brim intosomething of its former shape. "I know something is the matter, and ifit's your trouble it's mine. I'm your heir at law, am I not?"

"Yes, and you're a-drawing on the estate for more'n your share ofpesters, looks like, " answered Uncle Tucker as he raised his eyes tohers wistfully. 

"Is it something about--about the mortgage?" asked Rose Mary in thegently hushed tone that she always used in speaking of this evercouchant enemy of their peace. 

"Yes, " answered Uncle Tucker slowly, "it's about the mortgage, and I'mmighty sorry to have to tell you, but I reckon I'll have to come toaccepting you from the Lord as a rod and staff to hobble on. I--I hadthat settlement with the Senator this evening 'fore he left and itcame pretty nigh winding me to see how things stood. Instead of alittle more'n one hundred dollars behind in the interest we are mightynear on to six, and by right figures, too. It just hasn't measured outany year, and I never stopped to count it at so much. Gid was mightykind about it and said never mind, let it run, but--but I'm notsettled in my mind it's right to hold on like this; he maybe didn'tmean it, but before dinner he dropped a word about being mighty hardpressed for money to keep up this here white ribbon contest he'sa-running against his own former record. No, I'm not settled in mymind about the rights of it, " and with this uneasy reiteration UncleTucker raised his big eyes to Rose Mary in which lay the exact questfor the path of honor that she had met in the young eyes of theGeneral not two hours before. In fact, Uncle Tucker's eyes were solike Stonie's in their mournful demand for a decision from her thatRose Mary's tender heart throbbed with sympathy but sank with dismayat again having the decision of a question of masculine ethicspresented to her. 

"I just don't know what to say, Uncle Tucker, " she faltered, thusfailing him in his crisis more completely than she had the boy. 

"The time for saying has passed, and I'm afraid to look forwards towhat we may have to do, " answered Uncle Tucker quietly. "After Gid wasgone on up the road I walked over to Tilting Rock and sat down with mypipe to think it all over. My eyes are a-getting kinder dim now, butas far as I could see in most all directions was land that I hadalways called mine since I come into a man's estate. And there is noneof it that has ever had a deed writ aginst it since that first Allowaygot it in a grant from Virginy. There is meadow land and cornhillside, creeks for stock and woodlands for shelter, and the Allowaysbefore me have fenced it solid and tended it honest, with returnenrichment for every crop. And now it has come to me in my old age tolet it go into the hands of strangers--sold by my own flesh and bloodfor a mess of pottage, he not knowing what he did I will believe, Godhelp me. I'm resting him and the judgment of him in the arms of Mercy, but my living folks have got to have an earthly shelter. Can you see away, child? As I say, my eyes are a-getting dim. "

"I can't see any other shelter than the Briars, Uncle Tucker, andthere isn't going to be any other, " answered Rose Mary as she strokedthe old hat in her hand. "You know sometimes men run right against astone wall when a woman can see a door plainly in front of them both. She just looks for the door and don't ask to know who is going to openit from the other side. Our door is there I know--I have been lookingfor it for a long time. Right now it looks like a cow gate to me, " anda little reluctant smile came over Rose Mary's grave face as if shewere being forced to give up a cherished secret before she were readyfor the revelation. 

"And if the gate sticks, Rose Mary, I believe you'll climb the fenceand pull us all over, whether or no, " answered Uncle Tucker with aslightly comforted expression coming into his eyes. "You're one of thewomen who knot a bridle out of a horse's own tail to drive him with. Have you got this scheme already geared up tight, ready to start?"

"It's only that Mr. Crabtree brought word from town that the biggrocery he sells my butter to would agree to take any amount I couldsend them at a still larger price. If we could hold on to the place, buy more cows and all the milk other people in Sweetbriar have to sellI believe I could make the interest and more than the interest everyyear. But if Mr. Newsome needs the money, I am afraid--he might notlike to wait. It would be a year before I could see exactly how thingssucceed--and that's a long time. "

"Yes, and it would mean for you to just be a-turning yourself intomeat and drink for the family, nothing more or less, Rose Mary. Youwork like you was a single filly hitched to a two-horse wagon now, andthat would be just piling fence rails on top of the load of hay youare already a-drawing for all of us old live stock. You couldn't workall that butter. "

"Don't you know that love mixed in the bread of life makes it easy forthe woman to work a large batch for her family, Uncle Tucker?--and whynot butter? Will you talk to Mr. Newsome the next time he comes andsee what he thinks of the plan? I would tell him about itmyself--only I--I don't know why, but I don't--want to. " Rose Maryblushed and looked away across the Road, but her confusion was allunnoticed by Uncle Tucker, who was busily lighting a second pipeful oftobacco. 

"Yes, I'll talk to him and Crabtree both about it, " he answeredslowly. "I can't hardly bear the idea of your doing it, child, and ifit was just me I wouldn't hear tell of it, but Sister Viney and SisterAmandy--moved they'd be like a couple of sprouts of their ownhoneysuckle vine that you had pulled up and left in the sun to wilt. Home was a place to grow in for women of their day, not just a-kinderwaiting shack between stations like it has come to be in these timesof women's uprising--in the newspapers. "

"We don't get much new woman excitement out here in Harpeth Valley, Uncle Tucker, " laughed Rose Mary, glad to see him rise once more fromthe depth of his depression to his usual philosophic level. "Youwouldn't call--er--er Mrs. Poteet a modern woman, would you?"

"Fly-away, Peggy Poteet is the genuine, original mossback and hadoughter be expelled from the sex by the confederation presidentherself, " answered Uncle Tucker as they both glanced down past themilk-house where they saw the comely mother of the seven at her gateadministering refreshment in the form of bread and jam to all of herown and quite a number of the other members of the Swarm, includingthe General and the reclothed and shriven Tobe. "If there is anotherPoteet output next April we'll have to report her, " he added with alaugh. 

"But there never was a baby since Stonie like little Tucker, " answeredRose Mary in quick defense of the small namesake of whom Uncle Tuckerwas secretly but inordinately proud. 

"Yes, and I'm a-going to report you to the society of suppression ofmen folks as a regular spiler, Rose Mary Alloway, if you don't keepmore stern than you are at present with me and Stonie, to say nothingof all the men members of Sweetbriar from Everett clean on throughCrabtree down to that very young Tucker Poteet. You are one of thewomen that feed and clothe and blush on men like you were borned ahundred years ago and nobody had told you they wasn't worth shucks. Are you a-going to reform?"

"I'll try when I get time, " answered Rose Mary with a smile as shebestowed both a fleeting kiss and the old hat on Uncle Tucker'sforelock over the wall. "Now I want to run in and make a few cupcustards, so I can save one for Mr. Mark when he gets home to-night. He loves them cold. Little cooking attentions never spoil men, theyjust nourish them. Anyway, what is a woman going to have left to do inlife if she sheds the hovering feathers she keeps to tuck her nestiesunderneath?"

CHAPTER VII

THE SATSUMA VASE

"Well, howdy to-day, Mis' Poteet!" exclaimed Mrs. Rucker as she cameacross her side yard and leaned over the Poteet fence right oppositethe Poteet back porch. "I brought you this pan of rolls to set awayfor Mr. Poteet's supper. When I worked out the sponge looked like mypride over 'em riz with the dough and I just felt bound to show 'emoff to somebody; I know I can always count on a few open mouths inthis here nest. "

"That you can and thanky squaks, too, Mis' Rucker. I don't knowhowever I would feed 'em all if it wasn't for the drippings from yourkitchen, " answered the placid and always improvident Mrs. Poteet asshe picked up Shoofly and came over to the fence, delighted at achance for a few minutes parley with the ever busy and practical Mrs. Rucker. She balanced the gingham-clad bunch on its own wobbly legsbeside her, while through the pickets of the fence in greeting werethrust the pink hands of Petie, the bond, who had followed in the wakeof his own maternal skirts. Shoofly responded to this attention with avery young feminine gurgle of delight and licked at the chubby fistthrust toward her like an overjoyed young kitten. 

"Well, Monday is always a scrap day, so I try to kinder perk up myMonday supper. Singing in the quire twict on Sunday and too muchconfab with the other men on the store steps always kinder tires Mr. Rucker out so he can't hardly get about with his sciatica on Monday, and I have to humor him some along through the day. That were a mightygood sermon circuit rider preached last night. "

"Yes, I reckon it were, but my mind was so took up with the way LouisaHelen flirted herself down the aisle with Bob on one side of her andMr. Crabtree on the other, I couldn't hardly get my mind down tolistening. And when she contrived Mr. Crabtree into the pew next toMis' Plunkett, as she moved down for 'em, I most gave a snort outloud. Didn't Mis' Plunkett look nice in that second mourning tucker ittook Louisa Helen and all of Sweetbriar to persuade her into?"

"Lou Plunkett is as pretty as a chiny aster that blooms in Septemberand what she's having these number-two conniptions over Mr. Crabtreefor is more than I can see. I look on a second husband as a gooddessert after a fine dinner and a woman oughter swallow one whenoffered without no mincing. I wouldn't make two bites of taking Mr. Crabtree after poor puny Mr. Plunkett if it was me. Of course therenever was such a man as Mr. Satterwhite, but he was always mightybusy, while Cal Rucker is a real pleasure to me a-setting around thehouse on account of his soft constitution. Mr. Satterwhite, I'mthankful to say, left me so well provided for that I can afford Mr. Rucker as a kind of play ornament. "

"Yes, they ain't nothing been thought up yet to beat marrying, "answered Mrs. Poteet. "Now didn't Emma Satterwhite find a good chanctwhen Todd Crabtree married her and took her away after all that youngTucker Alloway doings? It were a kind of premium for flightiness, butI for one was glad to get her gone off'en Rose Mary's hands. Icouldn't a-bear to see her tending hand and foot a woman she werejilted for. "

"Well, a jilt from some men saves a woman from being married with abrass ring outen a popcorn box, in my mind, and Tucker Alloway wereone of them kind of men. But talking about marrying, I'm kindertroubled in my mind about something, and I know I can depend on younot to say nothing to nobody. Mr. Gid Newsome stopped at my gate lastweek and got me into a kinder hinting chavering that have beena-troubling me ever since. Now that's where Mr. Rucker is such acomfort to me, he'll stay awake and worry as long as I have need of, while I wouldn't a-dared to speak to Mr. Satterwhite after he put outthe light. But this is about what I've pieced outen that talk with theSenator, with Cal's help. That mortgage he has got on the Briars aboutcovers it, like a double blanket on a single bed, and with theinterest beginning to pile up it's hard to keep the ends tucked in. The time have come when Mr. Tucker can't make it no more and somethinghas got to be done. But they ain't no use to talk about moving themold folks. I gather from a combination of what Mr. Gid looked and_didn't_ say that he were entirely willing to take over the place andmake some sorter arrangement about them all a-staying on just thesame. That'd be mighty kind of him. "

"You don't reckon he'd do no such take-me-or-get-out co'ting to RoseMary, do you?" asked the soft-natured little Mrs. Poteet with alarmedsympathy in her blue eyes. 

"Oh, no, he ain't that big a fool. Every man knows in marrying anunwilling woman he's putting himself down to eat nothing but scrapsaround the kitchen door. But I wisht Rose Mary could make up her mindto marry Mr. Newsome. She might as well, for in the end a woman can'ttell nothing about taking a man; she just has to choose a can of agood brand and then be satisfied, for they all season and heat upabout alike. I never gave him no satisfaction about talking hispraises to her, but I reckon I'm for the tie-up if Rose Mary can seeit that way. " And Mrs. Rucker glanced along the Road toward RoseMary's milk-house with a kindly, though calculating matchmaking in herpractical eyes. 

"I'm kinder for Mr. Mark, " ventured the more sentimental Mrs. Poteetwith a smile. "He's as handsome as Rose Mary are, and wouldn't theyhave pretty--"

"Oh, shoo, I don't hold with no marrying outen the Valley for RoseMary! She's needed here and ain't got no call to gallivant off to NewYork and beyont with a strange man, beauty or no beauty. Besides she'spretty enough herself to hand it down even to the third and fourthgeneration. But I must go and see to helping Granny out on the sideporch in the sun. I never want to neglect her, for she's the onlychild poor Mr. Satterwhite left me. Now Mr. Rucker--Why there comesMis' Amandy down the front walk! Let's you and me go to meet her andsee what she wants. We can help her across the Road if she is a-goingto see anybody but us!" And with eager affection the two strong youngwomen with their babies in their arms hurried across the street inorder to serve if need be the delicate little old lady who, with hergray skirts fluttering and the little shawl streaming out behind, wascoming at her tottering full speed in that direction. In her hand sheheld carefully a bit of sheer, yellow, old muslin, and her brighteyes were beaming with delight as she met the two neighbors at thegate. 

"It's the dress, " she exclaimed, all out of breath and her sweetlittle voice all a-tremble. "Sister and me and Tucker were allbaptized in it when we were babies. Sister Viney has had me a-goingthrough boxes and bundles for it ever since little Tucker was namedfor us, and here it is! It's hand-made and fine linen, brought all theway from New York down to the city in a wagon before the railroad run. It's all the present we have got for little Tucker, but we thoughtmaybe--" And Miss Amanda paused with a shy diffidence in offering hergift. 

"Gracious me, Miss Amandy, they didn't nothing ever happen to me likethis little dress being gave to one of my children. I am going to lethim be named in it and then keep it in the box with my Bible, where itwon't be disturbed for nothing, " exclaimed Mrs. Poteet in a tone ofvoice that was tear-choking with reverence as she took the daintyyellow little garment into her hand. "And to think how you all havewored yourself out a-looking for it!" she further exclaimed. 

"Oh, me and Sister Viney have had a good time a-going through things;we haven't seen some of them for thirty or forty years. We found theflannel petticoat Ma was a-making for me when she died over forty-fiveyears ago. The needle is a-sticking in it, and I'm a-going to finishit to wear next winter. I'll feel like it is a comfort for my old ageshe just laid by for me. I've got a little lace collar Ma's motherwore when she come over from Virginy, and it's in the very style now, so we're going to bleach it out to give to Rose Mary. Come on up tothe house with me and see it and set with Sister Viney a spell, can'tyou? She's got mighty sore joints this morning, though Rose Maryrubbed her most a hour last night" And in response to the eagerinvitation they all three went back up the front walk together. Thethrifty Mrs. Rucker cast a satisfied glance back towards her own sideyard, where upturned tub and drying wash were in plain view. Mrs. Poteet had put off the task of the wash until a later day of the weekand thus could make her visit with a mind unharrassed by the vision ofsuds boiling over on the stove and soap melting in the tub. 

And there ensued several hours of complete absorption for the fourwomen closeted in Miss Lavinia's room in reviewing the events of thelast half century by means of the reminiscences which were inspired byone unearthed heirloom after another. Pete and Shoofly were happy onthe floor enveloping themselves and each other in long wisps ofmoth-eaten yarn that Miss Amandy had unearthed in a bureau drawer anddonated to their amusement. Mrs. Poteet had with her usual happyforgetfulness of anything but the very immediate occupation, lostsight of the fact that she had left young Tucker asleep on the bed inher room, which location, counting the distance across the two yardsand down the Road, was at least slightly remote from aid in case of asudden restoration to consciousness for the young sleeper. 

And in the natural course of events the young Alloway namesake didawaken and gave lusty vent to a demand for human companionship, whichwas answered promptly by the General, who happened to be passing thefront gate in pursuits of his own. Finding the house deserted, withhis usual decision of action Stonie picked up the baby and kept on hisway, which led past the garden up the hill to the barn. Young Tuckeraccepted this little journey in the world with his usualimperturbability, and his sturdy little neck made unusual efforts tosupport his bald head over the General's shoulders as if in pride atbeing in the company of one of his peers and not in the usual femininethraldom. 

Finding the barn also deserted, Stonie laid young Tucker on the strawin the barrel with two of Sniffer's sleeping puppies and began toattend to his errand, which involved the extraction of several long, stout pieces of string from a storehouse of his own under one of thefeed bins and the plaiting of them into the cracker of a whip which hehad brought along with him. 

Down below the store the rest of the Swarm were busy marking out alarge circus ring and discussing with considerable heat theirindividual rights to the various star parts to be performed in thecoming exhibition. The ardors of their several ambitions were not atall dampened by the knowledge of the fact that the audience that wouldbe in attendance to witness their triumphs would in all probabilityconsist of only Granny Satterwhite, whom little Miss Amanda alwayscoaxed to attend in her company, with perhaps a few moments ofencouragement from Mr. Crabtree if he found the time. To which wouldalways be added the interested and jocular company of Mr. Rucker, whoalways came, brought a chair to sit in and stayed through the entireperformance. And in the talented aggregation of performers there wasof course just one rôle that could have been assumed by GeneralJackson, that of ringmaster; so to that end he sat on the floor of thebarn beside the sleeping puppies and young Tucker and plaited the lashby means of which he intended to govern the courses of his stars. 

And it was here that Everett found him a few minutes later as hewalked rapidly up the milk-house path and stood in the barn door inevident hurried search for somebody or some thing. 

"Hello, General, " he said with a smile at the barrel full of sleepersat Stonie's side, "do you know where Rose Mary is?"

"Yes, " answered the General, "she are in her room putting buttermilkon the five freckles that comed on her nose when she hoed out in thegarden without no sunbonnet. I found 'em all for her this morning, andshe don't like 'em. You can go on in and see if they are any betterfor her, I ain't got the time to fool with 'em now. "

"Not for worlds!" exclaimed Everett as he sat down on an upturned peckmeasure in close proximity to the barrel. "Have you decided to haveMrs. Poteet and Mrs. Sniffer swap--er--puppies, Stonie?" he furtherremarked. 

"No, I didn't, " answered Stonie with one of his rare smiles which madehim so like Rose Mary that Everett's heart glowed within him. Stoniewas, as a general thing, as grave as a judge, with somethinghauntingly, almost tragically serious in his austere young face, buthis smiles when they came were flashes of the very divinity of youthand were a strange incarnation of the essence of Rose Mary's cousinlyloveliness. "He was crying because he was by hisself and I bringed himalong to wait till his mother came home. He belongs some to us, 'cause he's named for Uncle Tuck, and I oughter pester with him sameas Tobe have to. It's fair to do my part. "

"Yes, General, you always do your part--and always will, I think, "said Everett, as he looked down at the sturdy little chap so busy withhis long strings, weaving them over and over slowly but carefully. "Aman's part, " he added as two serious eyes were raised to his. 

"In just a little while I'll be a man and have Uncle Tucker and AuntViney and Aunt Amandy to be mine to keep care of always, Rose Mamiesays, " answered Stonie in his most practical tone of voice as he beganto see the end of the long strings draw into his weaving of thecracker. 

"What about Rose Mamie herself?" asked Everett softly, his voicethrilling over the child's name for the girl with reverent tenderness. 

"When I get big enough to keep care of everything here I'm going tolet Rose Mamie get a husband and a heap of children, like Mis'Poteet--but I'm a-going to make 'em behave theyselves better'n Tobeand Peggie and the rest of 'em do. Aunt Viney says Mis' Poteet sparesthe rod too much, but I'll fix Rose Mamie's children if they don'tmind her and me. " The General's mouth assumed its most commandingexpression as he glanced down at the little Poteet sleeping besidehim, unconscious of the fact that he was, in the future, to be thevictim of a spared rod. 

"Stonie, " asked Everett meekly, "have you chosen a husband for RoseMary yet?"

"No, " answered Stonie as he wove in the last inch of string. Then hepaused and raised his eyes to Everett thoughtfully. "It's jest got tobe the best man in the world, and I'm a-going to find him for her. IfI can't I'll keep care of her as good as I can myself. "

"General, " said Everett as he held the child's eyes with a straightlevel compelling glance, "you are right--she must have only the best. And you 'keep care' until he comes. I am going away to-night and Idon't know when I can come back, but you must always--always 'keepcare' of her--until the good man comes. Will you?"

"I will, " answered the General positively. "And if anybody of any kindbothers her or any of them I'll knock the stuffins outen 'em, andTobe'll help. But say, " he added, as if suddenly inspired by abrilliant idea, "couldn't you look for him for me? You'd know the goodkind of a man and you could bring him here. I would give you one ofthe spotted puppies to pay for the trouble, " and a hot wave engulfedEverett as the trustful friendly young eyes looked straight into hisas Stonie made this extremely practical business proposition. 

"Yes, General, I will come and bring him to you, and when he comes hewill be the best ever--or he will have died in the attempt. "

"All right, " answered Stonie, completely satisfied with the terms ofthe bargain, "and you can take your pick of the puppies. Are you goingon the steam cars from Boliver?"

"Yes, " answered Everett, "and I want to find your Uncle Tucker to askhim--"

"Well, here he is to answer all inquiries at all times, " came in UncleTucker's quizzical voice as he stood in the doorway of the barn with abucket in one hand and a spade in the other. "Old age is just like ahobble that tithers up stiff-jinted old cattle to the home post andkeeps 'em from a-roving. I haven't chawed the rope and broke over toBoliver in more'n a month now. Did you leave Main Street a-runningeast to west this morning?"

"Yes, " answered Everett, "still the same old Boliver. But I wanted tosee you right away to tell you that I have had a wire from the firmthat makes it necessary for me to get back to New York immediately. Imust catch that train that passes Boliver at midnight. "

"Oh, fly away, you can't pick up and go like that!" exclaimed UncleTucker with alarmed remonstrance. "Such a hurry as that are unseemly. Good-byes oughter to be handled slowly and careful, like chiny, tosave smashed feelings. Have you told Rose Mary and the sisters?"

"No; I've just come back from Boliver, and I couldn't find Rose Mary, and Miss Lavinia and Miss Amanda had company. I must go on over to thenorth field while there is still light to--to collect some--someinstruments I--that is I may have left some things over there that Iwill need. I will hurry back. Will--you tell them all for me?" AsEverett spoke he did not look directly at Uncle Tucker, but his eyesfollowed the retreating form of the General, who, with the completedwhip, the nodding baby and the two awakened puppies was making his waydown Providence Road in the direction of the circus band. There was astrange controlled note of excitement in his voice and his handsgripped themselves around the handles of his kit until the nails wentwhite with the strain. 

"Yes, I'll tell 'em, " answered Uncle Tucker with a distressed quavercoming into his voice as he took in the fact that Everett's hurrieddeparture was inevitable. "I'm sorry you have got to go, boy, but I'llhelp you get off if it's important for you. I'll have them get yoursupper early and put up a snack for the train. "

"I don't want anything--that is, it doesn't matter about supper. I--Iwill be back to see Miss Lavinia and Miss Amanda before they retire. "And Everett's voice was quiet with a calmness that belied the lump inhis throat at the very mention of the farewell to be said to the twolittle old flower ladies. 

"I'll go on and tell 'em now, " said Uncle Tucker with an evenincreased gloom in his face and voice. "Breaking bad news to womenfolks is as nervous a work as dropping a basket of eggs; you never cantell in which direction the lamentations are a-going to spatter andspoil things. I'll go get the worst of the muss over before you getback. "

"Thank you, " answered Everett with both a laugh and a catch in hisvoice as they separated, he going out through the field and over thehill and Uncle Tucker along the path to the house. 

And a little later Uncle Tucker found Rose Mary moving alone knee deepin the flowers and fruit of her beloved garden. For long moments shebent over the gray-green, white-starred bed of cinnamon pinks whichsent up an Arabian fragrance into her face as she carefully threadedout each little weed that had dared rear its head among the whiteblossoms. As she walked between the rows the tall lilies laid theirheads against her breast and kissed traces of their gold hearts on herhands and bare arms, while on the other side a very riot of blushpeonies crowded against her skirts. Long trails of pod-laden snapbeans tangled around her feet and a couple of round young squashesrolled from their stems at the touch of her fingers. She was the veryincarnation of young Plenty in the garden of the gods, and she reveledas she worked. 

"Rose Mary, " said Uncle Tucker as he came and stood beside her as shebegan to train the clambering butter-bean vines around their tallpoles, "young Everett has got to go on to New York to-night on thetrain from Boliver, and I told him you would be mighty glad to helphim off in time. I'd put him up a middling good size snack if I wasyou, for the eating on a train must be mighty scrambled like at best. We'll have to turn around to keep him from being late. " And it wasthus broadside that the blow was delivered which shook the veryfoundations of Rose Mary's heart and left her white to the lips andwith hands that clutched at the bean vines desperately. 

"When did he tell you?" she asked in a voice that managed to passmuster in the failing light. 

"Just a little while ago, and the news hit Sister Viney so suddenlike it give her a bad spell of asthma, and Sister Amandy was sortercrying and let the jimson-weed smoke get in her mouth and choke her. They are a-having a kind of ruckus, with nobody but Stonie helping 'emput Sis' Viney to bed, so I reckon you'd better go in and see 'em. He's gone over to the north field to get a hammer or something he leftand will be back soon. Hurry that black pester up with the supper, I'mso bothered I feel empty, " with which injunction Uncle Tucker leftRose Mary at the kitchen steps. 

And it was a strenuous hour that followed, in which things were socrowded into Rose Mary's hands that the fullness of her heart had tobe ignored if she was to go on with them. After a time Miss Laviniawas eased back on her pile of pillows and might have dropped off tosleep, but she insisted on having her best company cap arranged on herhair and a lavender shawl put around her shoulders and thus in statetake a formal leave of the departing guest--alone. And it was fully ahalf hour before Everett came out of her room, and Rose Mary saw himslip a tiny pocket testament which had always lain on Miss Lavinia'stable into his inside breast pocket, and his face was serious almostto the point of exhaustion. The time he had spent in Miss Lavinia'sroom little Miss Amanda had busily occupied in packing the generous"snack, " which Uncle Tucker hovered over and saw bestowed to hisentire satisfaction with the traps Everett had strapped up in hisroom. Stonie's large eyes grew more and more wistful, and after he andUncle Tucker retired with their good-byes all said he whispered toRose Mary that he wanted to say just one more thing to Mr. Mark. 

Tenderly Everett bent over the cot until the blush rosebud that MissAmanda had shyly pinned in his buttonhole as her good-by before shehad retired, brushed the little fellow's cheek as he ran his arm underthe sturdy little nightgowned shoulders and drew him as close as hedared. 

"Say, " whispered Stonie in his ear, "if you see a man that would buySniffer's other two spotted pups I would sell 'em to him. I want toget them teeth for Aunt Viney. I could get 'em to him in a box. "

"How much do you want for them?" asked Everett with a little gulp inhis voice as his heart beat against the arm of the young providerassuming his obligations so very early in life. 

"A dollar a-piece, I guess, or maybe ten, " answered Stonie vaguely. 

"I'll sell them right away at your price, " answered Everett. "I'll seethat Mr. Crabtree has them packed and shipped. " He paused for amoment. He would have given worlds to have taken the two little dogswith him and have left the money with Stonie--but he didn't dare. 

"And, " murmured Stonie drowsily, "don't forget that good man for RoseMamie if you see him--and--and--" but suddenly he had drifted off intothe depths, thus abandoning himself to the crush of a hug Everett hadbeen hungry to give him. 

And out in the starlit dusk he found Rose Mary sitting on the steps, freed at last, with her responsibilities all asleep--and before himthere lay just this one--good-by. 

Silently he seated himself beside her and as silently lit his cigarand began to puff the rings out into the air. In the perfect flood ofperfume that poured around and over them and came in great gusts fromthe garden he detected a new tone, wild and woodsy, sweet with acurious tang and haunting in its alien and insistent note in therhapsody of odors. 

"There's something new in bloom in your garden, Lady of the Rose?" heasked questioningly. 

"Yes, it's the roses on the hedges coming out; don't they smell briaryand--good? Just this last night you will be able to carry away withyou a whiff of real sweetbriar. To-morrow the whole town will be inbloom. It is now I think if we could only see it. " Rose Mary hadgained her composure and the poignant wistfulness in her voice was buta part of the motif of the briar roses in the valley dusk. 

"I'll see it all right to-morrow and often. Sweetbriar--it's going toblind me so that I won't be able to make my way along Broadway. Everything hereafter will be located up and down Providence Road forme. " Everett's voice held to a tone of quiet lightness and he bravelypuffed his rings of smoke out on the breezes. 

"Perhaps some day you'll pass us again along the road to yourProvidence, " said Rose Mary gently, and the wistful question was allthat her woman's tradition allowed her to ask--though her heart breakwith its pride. 

"Some day, " answered Everett, and underneath the quiet voice sounded asavage note and his teeth bit through his cigar, which he threw outinto the dew-carpeted grass. Just then there came from up under theeaves a soft disturbed flutter of wings and a gentle dove note wasanswered reassuringly and tenderly in kind. 

"Rose Mary, " he said as he turned to her and laid his hand on the stepnear her, "once you materialized your heart for me, and now I'm goingto do the same for mine to you. Yours, you say, is an old gabled, vine-clad, dove-nested country house, a shelter for the people youlove--and always kept for your Master's use. It is something just tohave had a man's road to Providence lead past the garden gate. I makeacknowledgement. And mine? I think it is like one of those squat, heathen, Satsuma vases, inlaid with distorted figures and symbols andtoned in all luridness of color, into which has been tossed a poorsort of flower plucked from any bush the owner happened to pass, whichhas been salted down in frivolity--or perhaps something stronger. I'll keep the lid on to-night, for _you_ wouldn't like the--perfume. "

"If you'd let me have it an hour I would take it down to themilk-house and empty and scrub it and then I could use it to poursweet cream into. Couldn't you--you leave it here--in Uncle Tucker'scare? I--I--really--I need it badly. " The raillery in her voice was asdelicious and daring as that of any accomplished world woman out overthe Ridge. It fairly staggered Everett with its audacity. 

"No, " he answered, coolly disapproving, "no, I'll not leave it; youmight break it. "

"I never break the crocks--I can't afford to. And women never breakmen's hearts; they do it themselves by keeping a hand on the treasureso as to take it back when they want it, and so between them both itsometimes gets--shattered. "

"Very well, then--the lid's off to you--and remember you askedfor--the rummage, Rose Mary, " answered Everett in a tone as light ashers. Then suddenly he rose and stood tall and straight in front ofher, looking down into her upraised eyes in the dusk. "You don't know, do you, you rose woman you, what a man's life can hold--ofnothingness? Yes, I've worked hard at my profession and thrown awaythe proceeds--in a kind of--riotous living. Other men's vast fortuneshave been built on my brains, and my next year I'm going to enter as apenniless thirty-niner. When I came South three months ago I drew thelast thousand dollars I had in bank, I have a couple of hundreds left, and that's all, out of over twenty thousand made in straight fees frommineral tests in the last year. Yes--a bit of riotous living. It'strue about those poor flowers plucked off frail stems off frailerbushes--but--if it hadn't been--a sort of fair play all around Iwouldn't stand here telling you about it, you in your hedge of briarroses. And now suddenly something has come into my life that makes meregret every dollar tossed to the winds and every cent burned in thefires--and in spite of it all I must make good. I'm going away fromyou and I don't know what is going to happen--but as I tell you fromnow on my feet do not stray from Providence Road, my eyes will turnfrom across any distance to catch a sight of the crown of old Harpeth, and my heart is in your milk-house to be of any kind of humble use. Ah, comfort me, rose girl, that I can not say more and that go I mustif I catch my train. " And he stretched out his hands to Rose Mary asshe arose and stood close at his side, her eyes never leaving his andher lips parted with the quick breathing of her lifted breast. 

"And you'll remember, won't you, when things go wrong, or you aretired, that the sunny corner in the old farm-house is yours? Always Ishall be here in Harpeth Valley with my nest in the Briars, andbecause you are gone I'll be lonely. But I won't be in the leastanxious, for whatever it is that calls you, I know you will give theright answer, because--because--well, aren't you one of my ownnesties, and don't I know how strong and straight your wings can fly?"

CHAPTER VIII

UNCLE TUCKER'S TORCH

"And how do you do, Mr. Crabtree? Glad to see you, suh, glad to seeyou again! How is all Sweetbriar? Any new voters since young Tucker, or a poem or so in the Rucker family? And are you succeeding inkeeping the peace with Mrs. Plunkett for young Bob?" And firing thisvolley of questions through the gently agitated smile-veil theHonorable Gideon Newsome stood in the door of the store, large-loomingand jocular. 

"Well, howdy, howdy, Senator, come right in and have a chair in thedoor-breeze!" exclaimed Mr. Crabtree as he turned to beam a welcome onthe Senator from behind the counter where he was filling kerosenecans. "We ain't seen you in most a month of Sundays, and I'm sure gladyou lit in passing again. "

"I never just light in passing Sweetbriar, friend Crabtree, " answeredthe senator impressively. "I start every journey with a stop atSweetbriar in view, and it seems a long time until I make the haven Iassure you, suh. And now for the news. You say my friend, Mrs. Plunkett, is enjoying her usual good health and spirits?"

"Well, not to say enjoying of things in general, but it do seem shehas got just a little mite of spirit back along of this herebully-ragging of Bob and Louisa Helen. She come over here yesterdayand stood by the counter upwards of an hour before I could persuadeher to be easy in her mind about letting Bob take that frizzling overto Providence to a ice-cream festibul Mis' Mayberry was a-having forthe church carpet benefit last night. After I told her I would put upearly, and me and her could jog over in my buggy along behind themflippets to see no foolishness were being carried on, she took it moreeasy, and it looked like onct and a while on the road she most cometo the point of enjoying her own self. But I reckon I'm just foolingmyself by thinking that though, " and Mr. Crabtree eyed the Senatorwith pathetic eagerness to be assured that he was not self-deceived atthis slight advance up the steep ascent of his road of true love. 

"Not a bit of doubt in my mind she enjoyed it greatly, suh, greatly, and I consider the cause of diverting her grief has advanced a hundredper cent by her consenting to go at all. Did any of the otherSweetbriar friends avail themselves of the Providence invitation--MissRose Mary and er--any of the other young people?"

"No, Miss Rose Mary didn't want to go, though Mr. Rucker woulder likedto hitch up the wagon and take her and Mis' Rucker and the children. She have been mighty quiet like sinct Mr. Everett left us, thoughshe'd never let anybody lack the heartening of that smile of hern nomatter how tetched with lonesome she was herself. When the letterscome I just can't wait to finish sorting the rest, but I run withhers to her, like Sniffie brings sticks back to Stonie Jackson when hethrows them in the bushes. "

"Ahm--er--do they come often?" asked the Senator in a casual voice, but his eyes narrowed in their slits and the veil became impenetrable. 

"Oh, about every day or two, " answered the unconsciously gossipylittle bachelor. "Looks like the whole family have missed him, too. Miss Viney has been in bed off and on ever since he left, and MissAmandy has tooken a bad cold in her right ear and has had to keep herhead wrapped up all the time. Mr. Tucker's mighty busy a-trying tofigure out how to crap the farm like Mr. Mark laid off on a map forhim to do--but he ain't got the strength now to even get a part of itdone. If Miss Rose Mary weren't strong and bendy as a hickory saplinshe couldn't prop up all them old folks. "

"Yes, " answered the Senator in one of his most judicial and dulcettones as he eyed the little bachelor in a calculating way as ifdeciding whether to take him into his confidence, "what you say of Mr. Alloway's being too old to farm his land with a profit is true. I havecome this time to talk things over with him and--er--Miss Rose Mary. Did I understand you to say our friend Everett is still in New York?Have you heard of his having any intention of returning to Sweetbriarany time soon?"

"No, I haven't heard tell of his coming back at all, and I'm mightysorry and disappointed some, too, " answered Mr. Crabtree with ananxious look coming into his kind eyes. "I somehow felt sure he wouldscratch up oil or some kind of pay truck out there in the fields ofthe Briars. I shipped a whole box of sand and gravel for him accordingto a telegram he sent me just last week and I had sorter got my hopesup for a find, specially as that young city fellow came out here anddug another bag full outen the same place not any time after that. Hehad a map with him, and I thought he might be a friend of Mr. Mark'sand asked him, but he didn't answer; never rested to light a pipe, even, so I never found out about him. I reckon he was just foolingaround and I hadn't oughter hoped on such a light ration. "

"When was it that the man came and prospected?" asked the Senator witha quick gleam coming into his ugly little eyes and the smile veil tookon another layer of density, while his hand trembled slightly as helighted his cigar. 

"Oh, about a week ago, " answered Mr. Crabtree. "But I ain't got nohopes now for Mr. Tucker and the folks from him. We'll all just haveto find some way to help them out when the bad time comes. "

"The way will be provided, friend Crabtree, " answered the Senator inan oily tone of voice, but which held nevertheless a decided note ofexcitement. "Do you know where I can find Mr. Alloway? I think I willgo have a business talk with him now. " And in a few minutes theSenator was striding as rapidly as his ponderosity would allow upProvidence Road, leaving the garrulous little storekeeper totallyunconscious of the fuse he had lighted for the firing of the mine solong dreaded by his friends. 

"Well now, Crabbie, don't bust out and cry into them dried apples jestto swell the price, fer Mis' Rucker will ketch you sure when she comesto buy 'em for to-morrow's turnovers, " came in the long drawl of thepoet as he dawdled into the door and flung the rusty mail-sack down onto the counter in front of Mr. Crabtree. "They ain't a thing in thatsack 'cept Miss Rose Mary's letter, and he must make a light kind oflove from the heft of it. I most let it drop offen the saddle as Ijogged along, only I'm a sensitive kind of cupid and the buckle ofthe bag hit that place on my knee I got sleep-walking last week whileI was thinking up that verse that '_despair_' wouldn't rhyme with'_hair_' in for me. Want me to waft this here missive over to themilk-house to her and kinder pledge his good digestion and such in aglass of her buttermilk?"

"No, I wisht you would stay here in the store for me while I take itover to her myself. I've got some kind of business with her for a fewminutes, " answered Mr. Crabtree as he searched out the solitary letterand started to the door with it. "Sample that new keg of maple dripbehind the door there. The cracker box is open, " he added by way ofcompensation to the poet for the loss of the buttermilk. 

The imagination of all true lovers is easily exercised about matterspertaining to the tender passion, and though Mr. Crabtree had never inhis life received such a letter he divined instantly that it should bedelivered promptly by a messenger whose mercury wings should scarcelypause in agitating the air of arrival and departure. And suiting hisactions to his instinct he whirled the envelope across the springstream to the table by Rose Mary's side with the aim of one of thelittle god's own arrows and retreated before her greeting andinvitation to enter should tempt him. 

"Honey drip and women folks is sweet jest about the same and they bothstick some when you're got your full of 'em at the time, "philosophized the poet as he wiped his mouth with the back of hishand. 

"Say, Crabbie, don't tell Mis' Rucker I have come home yet, please. Iwant to go out and lay down in the barn on the hay and see if I canget that '_hair-despair_' tangle straightened out. She hasn't seen meto tell me things for two hours or more and I know I won't get nothinking done this day if I don't make the barn 'fore she spies me. "And with furtive steps and eyes he left the store and veered in around-about way toward the barn. 

And over in the milk-house Rose Mary stood in the long shaft ofgolden light that came across the valley and fell through the door, itwould seem, just to throw a glow over the wide sheets of closelywritten paper. Rose Mary had been pale as she worked, and her deepeyes had been filled with a very gentle sadness which lighted with aflash as she opened the envelope and began to read. 

"Just a line, Rose girl, before I put out the light and go on a dreamhunt for you, " Everett wrote in his square black letters. "The day hasbeen long and I feel as if I had been drawn out still longer. I'mtired, I'm hungry, and there's no balm of Gilead in New York. I can'teat because there are no cornmeal muffins in this howling wildernessof houses, streets, people and noise. I can't drink because somethingawful rises in my throat when I see cream or buttermilk, and sassarcakdoesn't interest me any more. I would be glad to lap out of one ofyour crocks with Sniffie and the wee dogs. 

"And most of all I'm tired to see you. I want to tell you how hard Iam working, and that I don't seem to be able to make some of thesestupid old gold backs see things my way, even if I do show it to themcovered with a haze of yellow pay dust. But they shall--and that's myvow to--

"I wish I could kneel down by your rocking-chair with Stonie and hearUncle Tucker chant that stunt about '_the hollow of His hand_. ' Is anyof that true, Rose Mamie, and are you true and is Aunt Viney as wellas could be expected, considering the length of my absence? I've gotthe little Bible book with Miss Amanda's blush rose pressed in it, andI put my hand to my breast-pocket so often to be sure it is there andsome other things--letter things--that the heat and friction of themand the hand combined have brought out a great patch of prickly heatright over my heart in this sizzling weather. I know it needs freshcold cream to make it heal up, and I haven't even any talcum powder. How's Louisa Helen and doth the widow consent still not at all? TellCrabtree I say just walk over and try force of arms and not to--Thatforce of arms is a good expression to use--literally in some cases. Something is the matter with my arms. They don't feel strong like theydid when I helped Uncle Tucker mow the south pasture and turn the cornchopper--they're weak and--and sorter useless--and empty. Tell Stoniehe could beat me bear-hugging any day now. Has Tobe discovered any newadventure in aromatics lately, and can little Poteet sit up and takenotice? Help, help, I'm getting so homesick that I'm about to cry andfall into the ink!

"Good night--with all that the expression can imply of moonlightcoming over the head of old Harpeth, pouring down its sides, ripplingout over the corn-fields and flooding over a tall rose girl thing whostands in the doorway with her 'nesties' all asleep in the dark housebehind her--and if any man were lounging against the honeysuckle vinegetting a last puff out of his cigar I should know it, and a thousandmiles couldn't save him. I'm all waked up thinking about it, and Icould smash--Good night!

M. E. 

P. S. I don't think it at all square of you not to let Stonie sell methe little dogs. Women ought to keep out of business affairs betweenmen. "

And as she turned the last page, slipped it back into place andpromptly began at the beginning of the very first one, Rose Mary'sface was an exquisite study in what might have been entitled pure joy. Her roses rioted up under her lashes, her rich lips curled like thehalf-blown bud between the flower of her cheeks, and her eyes shonelike the two first stars mirrored in a woman's pool of life. Also itis one of the mysteries of the drama why a woman will scan over andover pages whose every letter is chiseled inches deep into her heart;and exactly one-half hour later Rose Mary was still standingmotionless by her table, with the letter outspread in her hand. 

And this was a very wonderful woman Old Harpeth had cradled in thehollow of His hand, nurtured on the richness of the valley andbreathed into her with ever-perfumed breath the peace of faith--in Godand man, for to any but an elemental, natural, faith-inspired woman ofthe fields would have come crushing, cruel, tearing doubts of the manbeyond the hills who said so little and yet so much. However, RoseMary was one of the order of fostering women whose arms are foreveroutheld cradle-wise, and to whose breast is ever drawn in mother lovethe child in the man of her choice, so her days since Everett'shurried departure had been filled with love and longing, with faithand prayers, but there had been not one shadow of doubt of him or hislove for her all half-spoken as he had left it. 

And added to her full heart had been burdens that had made her handsstill fuller. She had gone on her way day by day pouring out therichness of her life and strength where it was so sorely needed by herfeeble folk, with a song in her heart for him and them and to answerevery call from along Providence Road. Thus it is that the motivepower for the great cycles that turn and turn out in the wide spacesbetween time and eternity, regardless of the wheels of men that whirland buzz on broken cog with shattered rim, is poured through thenatures of women of such a mold for the saving of His nations. 

At last Rose Mary folded her letter, hesitated, and with a glint ofthe blue in her eyes as her lashes fell over a still rosier hint inher cheeks, she tucked it into the front of her dress and smoothed andpatted the folds of her apron close down over it, then turned withpraiseworthy energy to the huge bowl of unworked butter. 

And it was nearly an hour later, still, that the Honorable Gid loomedin the doorway under the honeysuckle vines, a complacent smilearranged on his huge face and gallantry oozing from every gesture andpose. 

"Why, Mr. Newsome, when did you come? How are you, and I'm glad to seeyou!" exclaimed Rose Mary all in one hospitable breath as she beamedat the Senator across her table with the most affable friendship. RoseMary felt in a beaming mood, and the Honorable Gid came under theshower of her affability. 

"Do have that chair by the door, and let me give you a glass of milk, "she hastened to add as she took up a cup and started for the crockswith a still greater accession of hospitality. "Sweet or buttermilk?"she paused to inquire over her shoulder. 

"Either handed by you would be sweet" answered the Senator withpraiseworthy ponderosity, and he shook out the smile veil until thevery roots of his hair became agitated. 

"Yes, Mr. Rucker says my buttermilk tastes like sweet milk with honeyadded, " laughed Rose Mary, dimpling from over the tall jar. "He saysthat because I always pour cream into it for him, and Mrs. Ruckerwon't because she says it is extravagant. But I think a poet ought tohave a dash of cream in his life, if just to make the poetry runsmoother--and orators, too, " she added as she poured half a ladlefulof the golden top milk into the foaming glass in her hand and gave itto the Senator, who received it with a trembling hand and gulped itdown desperately; for this once in his life the Honorable GideonNewsome was completely and entirely embarrassed. For many a year hehad had at his command florid and extravagant figures of speech which, cast in any one of a dozen of his dulcet modulations of voice, werewarranted to tell on even the most stubborn masculine intelligence, and ought to have melted the feminine heart at the moment ofutterance, but at this particular moment they all failed him, and hewas left high and dry on the coast of courtship with only the barequestion available for use. 

"Miss Rose Mary, " he blurted out without any preamble at all, anddrops of the sweat of an agony of anxiety stood out all over the widebrow, "I have been talking with Mr. Alloway, and I have come to you tosee if we can't all get together and settle this mortgage question tothe profit of all concerned. I lent him that money six years ago withthe intention of trying to get you to be my wife just as soon as yourecovered from your--your natural grief over the way things had gonewith you and young Alloway. I have waited longer than I had anyintention of doing, because I was absorbed in this political career Ihad begun on, but now I see it is time to settle matters, as the farmis running us all into debt, and I'm very much in need of you as awife. I hope you see it in that light, and the marriage can't takeplace too soon to suit me. You are the handsomest woman in mydistrict, and my constituents can not help but approve of my choice. "Something of the Senator's grandiloquence was returning to him, and heregarded Rose Mary with the pride of one who has appraisedsatisfactorily and is about to complete a proposed purchase. 

And as for Rose Mary, she stood framed against the fern-lined dusk atthe back of the milk-house like a naiad startled as she emerged fromher tree bower. Quickly she raised her hand to her breast and just asquickly the pressure of the letter laying there against her heart senta flood over her face that had grown pale and still, but she raisedher head proudly and looked the Senator straight in the face with aquestioning, hurt surprise. 

"You didn't make the terms clear when you lent the money to us, " shesaid quietly. 

"Well, " he answered, beginning to take heart at her very tranquilacceptance of the first bombardment, "I thought it best to let a timeelapse to soothe your deceived affections and cure your humiliation. For the time being I was content to enjoy culling the flowers of yourfriendship from time to time, but I now feel no longer satisfied withthem, but must be paid in a richer harvest. We will take charge ofthis place, assure a comfortable future for the aged relatives in yourcare, and as my wife you will be both happy and honored. " The Senatorwas decidedly coming into his own, and smile, glance and voice as heregarded Rose Mary were unctuous. In fact, through their slits hiseyes shot a gleam of something that was so hateful to Rose Mary thatshe caught her breath with horror, and only the sharp corner of herletter pressed into her naked breast kept her from reeling. But in asecond she had herself in hand and her quick mother-wit was aroused tofind out the worst and begin a fight for the safeguarding of hernesties--and the nest. 

"And if I shouldn't want to--to do what you want me to?" she asked, and she was even able to summon a smile with a tinge of coquetry thatserved to draw the wily Senator further than he realized. 

"Oh, I feel sure you can have no objections to me that are strongenough to weigh against thus providing suitably for your oldrelatives, " was the bait he dangled before her humiliated eyes. "It isthe only way to do it, for Mr. Alloway is too old to care any longerfor the place, which has been run at a loss for too long already. Wemay say that in accepting me you are accepting their comfortablefuture. Of course you could not expect things to go on any longer inthis impossible way, as I have need of the home and family I am reallyentitled to, now could you?" The Senator bent forward and finished hissentence in his most beguiling tone as he poured the hateful glanceall over her again so that her blood stopped in her veins from veryfear and repulsion. 

"No, " she said slowly, with her eyes down on the bowl of butter onthe table before her; "no, things couldn't go on as they have anylonger. I have felt that for some time. " She paused a second, thenlifted her deep eyes and looked straight into his, and the woundedlight in their blue depth was shadowed in the pride of the glance. "You are right--you must not be kept out of your own any longer. Butyou will--will you give me just a little time to--to get used to--tothinking about it? Will you go now and leave me--and come back in afew days? It is the last favor I shall ever ask of you. I promise whenyou come back to--to pay the debt. " And the color flooded over herface, then receded, to leave her white and controlled. 

"I felt sure you would see it that way; immediately, immediately, mydear, " answered the Senator, as he rose to take his departure. Atriumphant note boomed in his big gloating voice, but some influencethat it is given a woman to exhale in a desperate self-defense kepthim from bestowing anything more than an ordinary pressure on the coldhand laid in his. Then with a heavy jauntiness he crossed the Road, mounted his horse and, tipping his wide hat in a conquering-hero wave, rode on down Providence Road toward Boliver. 

And for a long, quiet moment Rose Mary stood leaning against the oldstone table perfectly still, with her hand pressing the sharp-edgepaper against her heart; then she sank into a chair and, stretchingher arms across the cold table, she let her head sink until the chillof the stone came cool to her burning cheeks. So this was the doorthat was to be opened in the stone wall--she had been blind and hadn'tseen!

And across the hills away by the sea he was tired and cold andhungry--with only a few hundred dollars in his pocket. He wasdiscouraged and overworked, and a time was coming when she would nothave the right to shelter his heart in hers. Once when he had been soill, before he ever became conscious of her at all, his head hadfallen over on her breast as she had tended him in his weakness--thethrob of it hurt her now. And perhaps he would never understand. Shecouldn't tell him because--because of his poverty and the hurt itwould give him--not to be able to help--to save her. No, he must notknow until too late--and _never_ understand! Desperately thus waveafter wave swept over her, crushing, grinding, mocking her womanhood, until, helpless and breathless, she was tossed, well nigh unconscious, upon the shore of exhaustion. The fight of the instinctive woman forits own was over and the sacrifice was prepared. She was bound to thewheel and ready for the first turn, though out under the skies, "_stretched as a tent to dwell in_, " the cycle was moving on itscourse turned by the same force from the same source that numbers thesparrows. 

"Rose Mary, child, " came in a gentle voice, and Uncle Tucker'strembling old hand was laid with a caress on the bowed head before shehad even heard him come into the milk-house, "now you've got to lookup and get the kite to going again. I've been under the waters, too, but I've pulled myself ashore with a-thinking that nothing's a-goingto take _you_ away from me and them. What does it matter if we were tohave to take the bed covers and make a tent for ourselves to campalong Providence Road just so we all can crawl under the flaptogether? I need nothing in the world but to be sure your smile is nota-going to die out. "

"Oh, honey-sweet, it isn't--it isn't, " answered Rose Mary, looking upat him quickly with the tenderness breaking through the agony in aperfect radiance. "It's all right, Uncle Tucker, I know it will be!"

"Course it's all right because it _is_ right, " answered Uncle Tuckerbravely, with a real smile breaking through the exhaustion on hisface that showed so plainly the fight he had been having out in hisfields, now no longer his as he realized. "Gid has got the right ofit, and it wasn't honest of us to hold on at this losing rate as longas we did. There is just a little more value to the land than themortgage, I take it, and we can pay the behind interest with that, andwhen we do move offen the place we won't leave debt to nobody on it, even if we do leave--the graves. "

"Did he say--when--when he expected you to--give up the Briars?" askedRose Mary in a guarded tone of voice, as if she wanted to be sure ofall the facts before she told of the climax she saw had not been evensuggested to Uncle Tucker. 

"Oh, no; Gid handled the talk mighty kind-like. I think it's better tolet folks always chaw their own hard tack instead of trying to grindit up friendly for them, cause the swalloring of the trouble has tocome in the end; but Gid minced facts faithful for me, according tohis lights. I didn't rightly make out just what he did expect, only wecouldn't go on as we were--and that I've been knowing for some time. "

"Yes, we've both known that, " said Rose Mary, still suspending herannouncement, she scarcely knew why. 

"He talked like he was a-going to turn the Briars into a kinder orphanasylum for us old folks and spread-eagled around about something hedidn't seem to be able to spit out with good sense. But I reckon I waskinder confused by the shock and wasn't right peart myself to take inhis language. " And Uncle Tucker sank into a chair, and Rose Mary couldsee that he was trembling from the strain. His big eyes were sunk farback into his head and his shoulders stooped more than she had everseen them. 

"Sweetie, sweetie, I can tell you what Mr. Newsome was trying to sayto you--it was about me. I--I am going to be his wife, and you andthe aunties are never, never going to leave the Briars. He has justleft here and--and, oh, I am so grateful to keep it--for you--andthem. I never thought of that--I never suspected such--a--door in ourstone wall. " And Rose Mary's voice was firm and gentle, but her deepeyes looked out over Harpeth Valley with the agony of all the ages intheir depths. 

But in hoping to conceal her tragedy Rose Mary had not counted on thelight love throws across the dark places that confront the steps ofthose of our blood-bond, and in an instant Uncle Tucker's torch ofcomprehension flamed high with the passion of indignation. Slowly herose to his feet, and the stoop in his feeble old shouldersstraightened itself out so that he stood with the height of his youngmanhood. His gentle eyes lost the mysticism that had come with hisyears of sorrow and baffling toil, and a stern, dignified power shonestraight out over the young woman at his side. He raised his arm andpointed with a hand that had ceased to tremble over the valley towhere Providence Road wound itself over Old Harpeth. 

"Rose Mary, " he said sternly in a quiet, decisive voice that rang withthe virility of his youth, "when the first of us Alloways came alongthat wilderness trail a slip of an English girl walked by him when hewalked and rode the pillion behind him when he rode. She finished thatjourney with bleeding feet in moccasins he had bought from an Indiansquaw. When they came on down into this Valley and found this springhe halted wagons and teams and there on that hill she dropped down tosleep, worn out with the journey. And while she was asleep he stuck astake at the black-curled head of her and one by the little, tired, ragged feet. That was the measure of the front door-sill to the Briarsup there on the hill. Come generations we have fought off the Indians, we have cleared and tilled the land, and we have gone up to the statehouse to name laws and order. In our home we have welcomed traveler, man and beast, and come sun-up each day we have worshipped at thealtar of the living God--but we've never sold one of our women yet!The child of that English girl never leaves my arms except to go intothose of a man she loves and wants. Yes, I'm old and I've got stillolder to look out for, but I can strike the trail again to-morrow, jest so I carry the honor of my women folks along with me. We may fallon the march, but, Rose Mary, you are a Harpeth Valley woman, and notfor sale!"

CHAPTER IX

THE EXODUS

"Well, it just amounts to the whole of Sweetbriar a-rising up anddeclaring of a war on Gid Newsome, and I for one want to march in thefront ranks and tote a blunderbuss what I couldn't hit nothing smallerthan a barn door with if I waster try, " exclaimed Mrs. Rucker as shewaited at the store for a package Mr. Crabtree was wrapping for her. 

"I reckon when the Senator hits Sweetbriar again he'll think he'sstepped into a nest of yellar jackets and it'll be a case of run orswell up and bust, " answered Mr. Crabtree as he put up the two boxesof baking-powder for the spouse of the poet, who stood beside his wifein the door of the store. 

"Well, " said Mr. Rucker in his long drawl as he dropped himself overthe corner of the counter, "looks like the Honorable Gid kinder fooledalong and let Cupid shed a feather on him and then along come somebodytrying to pick his posey for him and in course it het him up. You all'pear to forget that old saying that it's all's a fair fight in loveand war. "

"Yes, fight; that's the word! Take off his coat, strap his gallusestight, spit on his hands and fight for his girl, not trade for herlike hogs, " was the bomb of sentiment that young Bob exploded, much tothe amazement of the gathering of the Sweetbriar clan in the store. Young Bob's devotion to Rose Mary, admiration for Everett and owntender state of heart had made him become articulate with a vengeancefor this once and he spat his words out with a vehemence that made adecided impression on his audience. 

"That are the right way to talk, Bob Nickols, " said Mrs. Rucker, bestowing a glance of approval upon the fierce young Corydon, followedby one of scorn cast in the direction of the extenuating-circumstancespleading Mr. Rucker. "A man's heart ain't much use to a woman if themuscles of his arms git string-halt when he oughter fight for her. Come a dispute the man that knocks down would keep me, not the buyer, "and this time the glance was delivered with a still greater accent. 

"Shoo, honey, you'd settle any ruckus about you 'fore it got going bya kinder cold-word dash and pass-along, " answered the poetpropitiatingly and admiringly. "But I was jest a-wondering why Mr. Alloway and Miss Rose Mary was so--"

"Tain't for nobody to be a-wondering over what they feels and does, "exclaimed Mrs. Rucker defensively before the query was half uttered. "They've been hurt deep with some kind of insult and all we have gotto do is to take notice of the trouble and git to work to helping 'emall we can. Mr. Tucker ain't said a word to nobody about it, nor haveRose Mary, but they are a-getting ready to move the last of the week, and I don't know where to. I jest begged Rose Mary to let me have MissViney and Miss Amandy. I could move out the melojion into the kitchenand give 'em the parlor, and welcome, too. Mis' Poteet she put in andasked for Stonie to bed down on the pallet in the front hall with Tobeand Billy and Sammie, and I was a-going on to plan as how Mr. Tuckerand Mr. Crabtree would stay together here, and I knew Mis' Plunkettwould admire to have Rose Mary herself, but just then she sudden puther head down on my knee, her pretty arms around me, and held on tightwithout a tear, while I couldn't do nothing but rock back and forth. Then Mis' Poteet she cried the top of Shoofly's head so soaking wet itgive her a sneeze, and we all had to laugh. But she never answered mewhat they was a-going to do, and you know, Cal Rucker, I ain't sleptnights thinking about 'em, and where they'll move, have I?"

"Naw, you shore ain't--nor let me neither, " answered the poet in adepressed tone of voice. 

"I mighter known that Miss Viney woulder taken it up-headed anda-lined it out in the scriptures to suit herself until she wasn't deepin the grieving no more, but little Mis' Amandy's a-going to break myheart, as tough as it is, if she don't git comfort soon, " continuedMrs. Rucker with a half sob. "Last night in the new moonlight I got upto go see if I hadn't left my blue waist out in the dew, which mighterfaded it, and I saw something white over in the Briar's yard. I wentacross to see if they had left any wash out that hadn't oughter be inthe dew, and there I found her in her little, short old nightgown andbig slippers with the little wored-out gray shawl 'round her shouldersa-digging around the Maiden Blush rose-bush, putting in new dirt andjust a-crying soft to herself, all trembling and hurt. I went in andset down by her on the damp grass, me and my rheumatism and all, tookher in my arms like she were Petie, and me and her had it out. It'sthe graves she's a-grieving over, we all a-knowing that she's leavingburied what she have never had in life, and I tried to tell her thatno matter who had the place they would let her come and--"

"Oh, durn him, durn him! I'm a-going clear to the city to git old Gidand beat the liver outen him!" exclaimed young Bob, while hissunburned face worked with emotion and his gruff young voice broke ashe rose and walked to the door. 

"I wisht you would, and I'll make Cal help you, " sobbed Mrs. Ruckerinto a corner of her apron. Her grief was all the more impressive, asshe was, as a general thing, the balance-wheel of the whole Sweetbriarmachinery. "And I don't know what they are a-going to do, " shecontinued to sob. 

"Well, I know, and I've done decided, " came in Mrs. Plunkett's softvoice from the side door of the store, and it held an unwonted note ofdecision in its hushed cadences. A deep pink spot burned on eithercheek, her eyes were very bright, and she kept her face turnedresolutely away from little Mr. Crabtree, over whose face there hadflashed a ray of most beautiful and abashed delight. 

"Me and Mr. Crabtree were a-talking it all over last night while Boband Louisa Helen were down at the gate counting lightning-bugs, theysaid. They just ain't no use thinking of separating Rose Mary and Mr. Tucker and the rest of 'em, and they must have Sweetbriar shelter, good and tight and genteel, offered outen the love Sweetbriar has gotfor 'em all. Now if I was to marry Mr. Crabtree I could all good andproper move him over to my house and that would leave his littlethree-room cottage hitched on to the store to move 'em intocomfortable. They have got a heap of things, but most of 'em could bepacked away in the barn here, what they won't let us keep for 'em. IfMr. Crabtree has got to take holt of my farm it will keep him awayfrom the store, and he could give Mr. Tucker a half-interest cheap torun it for him and that will leave Rose Mary free to help him and tendthe old folks. What do you all neighbors think of it?"

"Now wait just a minute, Lou Plunkett, " said Mr. Crabtree in a radiantvoice as he came out from around the counter and stood before her withhis eyes fairly glowing with his emotion. "Have you done decided_yourself_? This is twixt me and you, and I don't want no Sweetbriarpresent for a wife if I can help it. Have _you_ done decided?"

"Yes, Mr. Crabtree I have, and I had oughter stopped and told you, butI wanted to go quick as I could to see Mr. Tucker and Rose Mary. Hegave consent immediately, and looked like Rose Mary couldn't donothing but talk about you and how good you was. I declare I began toget kinder proud about you right then and there, 'fore I'd even toldyou as I'd have you. " And the demure little widow cast a smile outfrom under a curl that had fallen down into her bright eyes that wasso young and engaging that Mr. Crabtree had to lean against thecounter to support himself. His storm-tossed single soul was fairlyblinded at even this far sight of the haven of his double desires, butit was just as well that he was dumb for joy, for Mrs. Rucker was morethan equal to the occasion. 

"Well, glory be, Lou Plunkett, if that ain't a fine piece of news!"she exclaimed as she bestowed a hearty embrace upon the widow and onealmost as hearty upon the overcome Mr. Crabtree. "And you can't knowtill you've tried what a pleasure and a comfort a second husband canbe if you manage 'em right. Single folks a-marrying are likely to gumup the marriage certificate with some kind of a mistake until itsticks like fly-paper, but a experienced choice generally runs smoothlike melted butter. " And with a not at all unprecedented femininechange of front Mrs. Rucker substituted a glance of unbridled pridefor the one of scorn she had lately bestowed upon the poet, underwhich his wilted aspect disappeared and he also began to bloom outwith the joy of approval and congratulation. 

"And I say marrying a widow are like getting a rose some other fellowhave clipped and thorned to wear in your buttonhole, Crabtree; theyain't nothing like 'em. " Thus poet and realist made acknowledgmenteach after his and her own order of mind, but actuated by theidentical feeling of contented self-congratulation. 

"I'm a-holding in for fear if I breathe on this promise of Mis'Plunkett's it'll take and blow away. But you all have heard it spoke, "said the merry old bachelor in a voice that positively trembled withemotion as he turned and mechanically began to sort over a box ofclothespins, mixed as to size and variety. 

"Shoo, Crabbie, don't begin by bein' afraid of your wife, jest handle'em positive but kind and they'll turn your flapjacks peaceable andbutter 'em all with smiles, " and Mr. Rucker beamed on his friendCrabtree as he wound one of his wife's apron strings all around one ofhis long fingers, a habit he had that amused him and he knew in hissecret heart teased her. 

"Now just look at Bob tracking down Providence Road a-whistling like apartridge in the wheat for Louisa Helen. They've got love's youngdream so bad they had oughter have sassaprilla gave for it, " and thepoet cast a further glance at the widow, who only laughed and lookedindulgently down the road at the retreating form of the gawky youngAdonis. 

"Hush up, Cal Rucker, and go begin chopping up fodder to feed withcome supper time, " answered his wife, her usual attitude of briskgeneralship coming into her capable voice and eyes after theirsoftening under the strain of the varied emotions of the last halfhour in the store. "Let's me and you get mops and broom and begin ona-cleaning up for Mr. Crabtree before his moving, Lou. I reckon youwant to go over his things before you marry him anyway, and I'll helpyou. I found everything Cal Rucker had a disgrace, with Mr. Satterwhite so neat, too. " And not at all heeding the flame ofembarrassment that communicated itself from the face of the widow tothat of the sensitive Mr. Crabtree, Mrs. Rucker descended the steps ofthe store, taking Mrs. Plunkett with her, for to Mrs. Rucker the stateof matrimony, though holy, was still an institution in the realm ofrealism and to be treated with according frankness. 

Meanwhile over in the barn at the Briars Uncle Tucker was at workrooting up the foundations upon which had been built his lifetime oflordship over his fields. In the middle of the floor was a great pileof odds and ends of old harness, empty grease cans, brokentools, and scraps of iron. Along one side of the floor stood thepathetically-patched old implements that told the tale of patientsaving of every cent even at the cost of much greater labor to thefast weakening old back and shoulders. A new plow-shaft had meant adollar and a half, so Uncle Tucker had put forth the extra strength todrive the dull old one along the furrows, while even the grindstonehad worn away to such unevenness that each revolution had made onlyhalf the impression on a blade pressed to its rim and thus caused thesharpening to take twice as long and twice the force as would havebeen required on a new one. But grindstones, too, cost cents anddollars, and Uncle Tucker had ground on patiently, even hopefully, until this the very end. But now he stood with a thin old scythe inhis hands looking for all the world like the incarnation of FatherTime called to face the first day of the new régime of an arrivedeternity, and the bewilderment in his eyes cut into Rose Mary's heartwith an edge of which the old blade had long since become incapable. 

"Can't I help you go over things, Uncle Tucker?" she asked softly witha smile shining for him even through the mist his eyes were too dim todiscover in hers. 

"No, child, I reckon not, " he answered gently. "Looks like it helps meto handle all these things I have used to put licks in on more'n onegood farm deal. I was just a-wondering how many big clover crops I hadmowed down with this old blade 'fore I laid it by to go riding awayfrom it on that new-fangled buggy reaper out there that broke down inless'n five years, while this old friend had served its twenty-odd andnow is good for as many more with careful honing. That's it, men of mytime were like good blades what swing along steady and even, high overrocks and low over good ground; but they don't count in these days ofthe four-horse-power high-drive, cut-bind-and-deliver machines menwork right on through God's gauges of sun-up and down. But maybe inglory come He'll walk with us in the cool of the evening while they'llbe put to measuring the jasper walls with a golden reed just to keepthemselves busy and contented. How's the resurrection in the wardrobesand chests of drawers coming on?" And a real smile made its way intoUncle Tucker's eyes as he inquired into the progress of the packing upof the sisters, from which he had fled a couple hours ago. 

"They are still taking things out, talking them over and putting themright back in the same place, " answered Rose Mary with a faint echo ofhis smile that tried to come to the surface bravely but had astruggle. "We will have to try and move the furniture with it allpacked away as it is. It is just across the Road and I know everybodywill want to help me disturb their things as little as possible. Oh, Uncle Tucker, it's almost worth the--the pain to see everybodyplanning and working for us as they are doing. Friends are like thosetall pink hollyhocks that go along and bloom single on a stalk untilsomething happens to make them all flower out double like peonies. Andthat reminds me, Aunt Viney says be sure and save some of the dryjack-bean seed from last year you had out here in the seed pressfor--"

"Say, Rose Mamie, say, what you think we found up on top of Mr. Crabtree's bedpost what Mis' Rucker were a-sweeping down with abroom?" and the General's face fairly beamed with excitement as hestood dancing in the barn door. Tobe stood close behind him and smallPeggy and Jennie pressed close to Rose Mary's side, eager but notdaring to hasten Stonie's dramatic way of making Rose Mary guess thenews they were all so impatient to impart to her. 

"Oh, what? Tell me quick, Stonie, " pleaded Rose Mary with theeagerness she knew would be expected of her. Even in her darkesthours Rose Mary's sun had shone on the General with its usualradiance of adoration and he had not been permitted to feel thetragedy of the upheaval, but encouraged to enjoy to the utmost all itssmall excitements. In fact the move over to the store had appealed toa fast budding business instinct in the General and he had seenhimself soon promoted to the weighing out of sugar, wrapping upbundles and delivering them over the counter to any one of theadmiring Swarm sent to the store for the purchase of the dailyprovender. 

"It were a tree squirrel and three little just-hatched ones in abunch, " Stonie answered with due dramatic weight at Rose Mary's plea. "Mis' Rucker thought it were a rat and jumped on the bed and hollowedfor Tobe to ketch it, and Peg and Jennie acted just like her, too, after Tobe and me had ketched that mouse in the barn just last weekand tied it to a string and let it run at 'em all day to get 'em usedto rats and things just like boys. " And the General cast a look ofdisappointed scorn at the two pigtailed heads, downcast at thisfailure of theirs to respond to the General's effort to inoculatetheir feminine natures with masculine courage. 

"I hollered 'fore I knewed what at, " answered the abashed Jennie in avery small voice, unconsciously making further display of the force ofher hopeless feminine heredity. But Peggy switched her small skirts inan entirely different phase of femininity. 

"You never heard me holler, " she said in a tone that was skilfuladmixture of defiance and tentative propitiation. 

"'Cause you had your head hid in Jennie's back, " answered the Generalcoolly unbeguiled. "Here is the letter we comed to bring you, RoseMamie, and me and Tobe must go back to help Mis' Rucker some moreclean Mr. Crabtree up. I don't reckon she needs Peg and Jennie, butthey can come if they want to, " with which Stonie and Tobe, thehenchman, departed, and not at all abashed the humble small womentrailing respectfully behind them. 

"That women folks are the touch-off to the whole explosion of life isa hard lesson to learn for some men, and Stonie Jackson is one of thatkind, " observed Uncle Tucker as he looked with a quizzical expressionafter the small procession. "Want me to read that letter and tell youwhat's in it?" he further remarked, shifting both expression andattention on to Rose Mary, who stood at his side. 

"No, I'll read it myself and tell you what's in it, " answered RoseMary with a blush and a smile. "I haven't written him about ourtroubles, because--because he hasn't got a position yet and I don'twant to trouble him while he is lonely and discouraged. "

"Well, I reckon that's right, " answered Uncle Tucker still in abantering frame of mind that it delighted Rose Mary to see himmaintain under the situation. "Come trouble, some women like to blinda man with cotton wool while they wade through the high water andonly holler for help when their petticoats are down around theirankles on the far bank. We'll wait and send Everett a photagraf of meand you dishing out molasses and lard as grocer clerks. And glad to doit, too!" he added with a sudden fervor of thankfulness rising in hisvoice and great gray eyes. 

"Yes, Uncle Tucker, glad and proud to do it, " answered Rose Maryquickly. "Oh, don't you know that if you hadn't seen and understoodbecause you loved me so, I would have felt it was right to do--to dowhat was so horrible to me? I will--I will make up to you and them forkeeping me from--it. What do you suppose Mr. Newsome will do when hefinds out that you have moved and are ready to turn the place over tohim, even without any foreclosure?"

"Well, speculating on what men are a-going to do in this life is aboutlike trying to read turkey tracks in the mud by the spring-house, andI'm not wasting any time on Gid Newsome's splay-footed impressions. Come to-morrow night I'm a-going to pull the front door to for thelast time on all of us and early next morning Tom Crabtree's a-goingto take the letter and deed down to Gid in his office in the city forme. Don't nobody have to foreclose on me; I hand back my debt dollarfor dollar outen my own pocket without no duns. To give up the landimmediate are just simple justice to him, and I'm a-leaving the Lordto deal with him for trying to _buy_ a woman in her time of trouble. We haven't told it on him and we are never a-going to. I wisht I couldmake the neighbors all see the jestice in his taking over the land andnot feel so spited at him. I'm afraid it will lose him every votealong Providence Road. 'Tain't right!"

"I know it isn't, " answered Rose Mary. "But when Mrs. Rucker speaksher mind about him and Bob chokes and swells up my heart gets warm. Doyou suppose it's wrong to let a friend's trouble heat sympathy to theboiling point? But if you don't need me I'm going down to themilk-house to work out my last batch of butter before they come todrive away my cows. " And Rose Mary hurried down the lilac path beforeUncle Tucker could catch a glimpse of the tears that rose at the ideaof having to give up the beloved Mrs. Butter and her tribe ofgentle-eyed daughters. 

And as she stood in the cool gray depths of the old milk-house RoseMary's gentle heart throbbed with pain as she pressed the great cakesof the golden treasure back and forth in the blue bowl, for it was aquiet time and Rose Mary was tearing up some of her own roots. Her sadeyes looked out over Harpeth Valley, which lay in a swoon with themidsummer heat. The lush blue-grass rose almost knee deep around thegrazing cattle in the meadows, and in the fields the green grain wasfast turning to a harvest hue. Almost as far as her eyes could reachalong Providence Road and across the pastures to Providence Nob, beyond Tilting Rock, the land was Alloway land and had been theirs forwhat seemed always. She could remember what each good-by to it all hadbeen when she had gone out over the Ridge in her merry girlhood andhow overflowing with joy each return. Then had come the time when ithad become still dearer as a refuge into which she could bring hertorn heart for its healing. 

And such a healing the Valley had given her! It had poured thefragrance of its blooming springs and summers over her head, she haddrunk the wine of forgetfulness in the cup of long Octobers and thesting of its wind and rain and snow on her cheeks had brought back thegrief-faded roses. The arms of the hearty Harpeth women had beenoutheld to her, and in turn she had had their babies and troubles laidon her own breast for her and their comforting. She had been motheredand sistered and brothered by these farmer folk with a veryprodigality of friendship, and to-day she realized more than everwith positive exultation that she was brawn of their brawn and builtof their building. 

And then to her, a woman of the fields, had come down Providence Roadover the Ridge from the great world outside--the _miracle_. Sheslipped her hand into her pocket for just one rapturous crush of thetreasure-letter when suddenly it was borne in upon her that it mightbe that even that must come to an end for her. Stay she must by hernest of helpless folk, and was it with futile wings he was breastingthe great outer currents of which she was so ignorant? His letterstold her nothing of what he was doing, just were filled to the wordwith half-spoken love and longing and, above all, with a greatimpatience about what, or for what, it was impossible for her tounderstand. She could only grieve over it and long to comfort him withall the strength of her love for him. And so with thinking, puzzlingand sad planning the afternoon wore away for her and sunset found herat the house putting the household in order and to bed with her usualcheery fostering of creaking joints and cumbersome retiringceremonies. 

At last she was at liberty to fling her exhausted body down on thecool, patched, old linen sheets of the great four-poster which hadharbored many of her foremothers and let herself drift out on her owntroubled waters. Wrapped in the compassionate darkness she was givingway to the luxury of letting the controlled tears rise to her eyes andthe sobs that her white throat ached from suppressing all day wereechoing on the stillness when a voice came from the little cot by herbed and the General in disheveled nightshirt and rumpled head rose byher pillow and stood with uncertain feet on his own springy place ofrepose. 

"Rose Mamie, " he demanded in an awestruck tone of voice that fairlytrembled through the darkness, "are you a-crying?"

"Yes, Stonie, " she answered in a shame-forced gurgle that would havedone credit to Jennie Rucker in her worst moments of abasement beforethe force of the General. 

"Does your stomach hurt you?" he demanded in a practical thoughsympathetic tone of voice, for so far in his journey along life's roadhis sleep had only been disturbed by retributive digestive causes. 

"No, " sniffed Rose Mary with a sob that was tinged with a small laugh. "It's my heart, darling, " she added, the sob getting the best of thesituation. "Oh, Stonie, Stonie!"

"Now, wait a minute, Rose Mamie, " exclaimed the General as he climbedup and perched himself on the edge of the big bed. "Have you doneanything you are afraid to tell God about?"

"No, " came from the depths of Rose Mary's pillow. 

"Then don't cry because you think Mr. Mark ain't coming back, likeMis' Rucker said she was afraid you was grieving about when shethought I wasn't a-listening. He's a-coming back. Me and him have gota bargain. "

"What about, Stonie?" came in a much clearer voice from the pillow, and Rose Mary curled herself over nearer to the little bird perched onthe edge of her bed. 

"About a husband for you, " answered Stonie in the reluctant voice thata man usually uses when circumstances force him into taking a womaninto his business confidence. "Looked to me like everybody here wasa-going to marry everybody else and leave you out, so I asked him toget you one up in New York and I'd pay him for doing it. He's a-goingto bring him here on the cars his own self lest he get away before Iget him. " And the picture that rose in Rose Mary's mind, of thereluctant husband being dragged to her at the end of a tether byEverett, cut off the sob instantly. 

"What--what did you--he say when you asked him about--getting thehusband--for you--for me?" asked Rose Mary in a perfect agony of mirthand embarrassment. 

"Let me see, " said Stonie, and he paused as he tried to repeatEverett's exact words, which had been spoken in a manner that hadimpressed them on the General at the time. "He said that you wasn'ta-going to have no husband but the best kind if he had to killhim--no, he said that if he was to have to go dead hisself he wouldcome and bring him to me, when he got him good enough for you by doingright and such. "

"Was that all?" asked Rose Mary with a gurgle that was well nighecstatic, for through her had shot a quiver of hope that set everypulse in her body beating hot and strong, while her cheeks burned inthe cool linen of her pillow and her eyes fairly glowed into thenight. 

"About all, " answered the General, beginning to yawn with theinterrupted slumber. "I told him your children would have to mind meand Tobe when we spoke to 'em. He kinder choked then and said allright. Then we bear-hugged for keeps until he comes again. I'm sleepynow!"

"Oh, Stonie, darling, thank you for waking up and coming to comfortRose Mamie, " she said, and from its very fullness a happy little sobescaped from her heart. 

"I tell you, Rose Mamie, " said the General, instantly, againsympathetically alarmed, "I'd better come over in your bed and go tosleep. You can put your head on my shoulder and if you cry, getting mewet will wake me up to keep care of you agin, 'cause I am so sleepynow if you was to holler louder than Tucker Poteet I wouldn't wake upno more. " And suiting his actions to his proposition the Generalstretched himself out beside Rose Mary, buried his touseled head onher pillow and presented a diminutive though sturdy little shoulder, against which she instantly laid her soft cheek. 

"You scrouge just like the puppy, " was his appreciative comment ofher gentle nestling against his little body. "Now I'm going to sleep, but if praying to God don't keep you from crying, then wake me up, "and with this generous and really heroic offer the General drifted offagain into the depths, into which he soon drew Rose Mary with him, comforted by his faith and lulled in his strong little arms. 

CHAPTER X

IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HAND

And the next morning a threatening, scowling, tossed-cloud dawnbrought the day over the head of Old Harpeth down upon littleSweetbriar, which awakened with one accord to a sense of melancholyoppression. A cool, dust-laden wind blew down Providence Road, twistedthe branches of the tall maples along the way, tore roughly at thefestoons of blooming vines over the gables of the Briars, startled thenestled doves into a sad crooning, whipped mercilessly at the row oftall hollyhocks along the garden fence, flaunted the long spikes ofjack-beans and carried their quaint fragrance to pour it over the bedof sober-colored mignonette, mixing it with the pungent zinnia odorand flinging it all over into the clover field across the briarhedge. The jovial old sun did his very best to light up the situation, but just as he would succeed in getting a ray down into the Valley agreat puffy cloud would cast a gray shadow of suppression over hiseffort and retire him sternly for another half hour. 

And on the wings of the intruding, out-of-season wind came a train ofills. Young Tucker Poteet waked at daylight and howled dismally with apain that seemed to be all over and then in spots. When he went totake down the store shutters Mr. Crabtree smashed one of his large, generous-spreading thumbs and Mrs. Rucker's breakfast eggs burned to acinder state while she tied it up in camphor for him. In the night amosquito had taken a bite out of the end of Jennie's small nose and itwas swelled to twice its natural size, and Peter, the wise, barked aplump shin before he was well out of the trundle bed. One of youngBob's mules broke away and necessitated a trip half way up toProvidence for his capture, and Mrs. Plunkett had Louisa Helen sobusy at some domestic manoeuvers that she found it impossible to gowith him. 

And before noon the whole village was in a fervid state of commotion. Mrs. Rucker had insisted on moving Mr. Crabtree and all his effectsover into the domicile of his prospective bride, regardless of bothher and his abashed remonstrance. 

"Them squeems are all foolishness, Lou Plunkett, " she had answered afaint plea from the widow for a delay until after the ceremony forthis material mingling of the to-be-united lives. "It's all right andproper for you and Mr. Crabtree to be married at night meeting Sunday, and his things won't be unmarried in your house only through Saturdayand Sunday. I'm a-going to pack up his Sunday clothes, a pair of cleansocks, a shirt and other things in this basket. Then I'll fix him up ashake-down in my parlor to spend Saturday night in, and I'll dress himup nice and fine for the wedding you may be sure. We ain't got butthis day to move him out and clean up the house good to move Rose Maryand the old folks into early Saturday morning, so just come on and getto work. You can shut your eyes to his things setting around yourhouse for just them one day or two, can't you?"

"They ain't nothing in this world I couldn't do to make it just thelittlest mite easier for Rose Mary and them sweet old folks, even togettin' my house into a unseemly married condition before hand, "answered Mrs. Plunkett as she brushed a tear away from her blue eyes. 

"That's the way we all feel, " said Mrs. Rucker. "Now if I was you I'dgive Mr. Crabtree that middle bureau drawer. Men are apt to pokethings away careless if they has the top, and the bottom one is bestto use for your own things. Mr. Satterwhite always kept his clothes soit were a pleasure to look at 'em, but Cal Rucker prefers a pair ofsocks separated across the house if he can get them there. I foundone of his undershirts full of mud and stuck away in the kitchen safewith the cup towels last week. There comes Mis' Poteet to help atlast! I never heard anything yell like Tucker has been doing allmorning. Is he quiet at last, Mis' Poteet?"

"Yes, I reckon he's gave out all the holler that's in him, but I'mafraid to put him down, " and Mrs. Poteet continued the joggling, swaying motion to a blue bundle on her breast that she had beenadministering as a continuous performance to young Tucker sincedaylight. "I'm sorry I couldn't come help you all with the moving, butyou can count on my mop and broom over to the store all afternoon, soon as I can turn him over to the children. "

"We ain't needed you before, but now we have got Mr. Crabtree allsettled down here with Mrs. Plunkett we can get to work on his houseright after dinner. Have you been over to the Briars to see 'em in thelast hour?"

"Yes, I come by there, but they didn't seem to need me. Miss Vineyhas got Miss Amandy and Tobe and the General at work, and Rose Maryhas gone down to the dairy to pack up the last batch of butter for Mr. Crabtree to take to the city in the morning. Mr. Tucker's still goingover things in the barn, and my feelings riz so I had to come away forfear of me and little Tucker both busting out crying. "

And over at the Briars the scenes of exodus being enacted were wellcalculated to touch a heart sterner than that of the gentle, sympathetic and maternal Mrs. Poteet. Chilled by the out-of-seasonwind Miss Lavinia had awakened with as bad a spell of rheumatism asshe had had for a year and it was with the greatest difficulty thatRose Mary had succeeded in rubbing down the pain to a state where shecould be propped up in bed to direct little Miss Amanda and thechildren in the last sad rites of getting things into shape to becarried across the road at the beginning of the morrow, which was theday Uncle Tucker had sternly set as that of his abdication. 

Feebly, Miss Amanda tottered about trying to carry out her sister'sorders and patiently the General and Tobe labored to help her, thoughtheir hearts were really over at the store, where the rest of theSwarm were, in the midst of the excitement of Mr. Crabtree's change ofresidence. In all their young lives of varied length they had neverbefore had an opportunity to witness the upheaval of a moving and thisoccasion was frought with a well-nigh insupportable fascination. TheGeneral's remaining at the post of family duty and his command of hishenchman to the same sacrifice was indeed remarkable, though in a waypathetic. 

"You, Stonewall Jackson, don't handle those chiny vases careless!"commanded Aunt Viney in a stern voice. "Put 'em in the basket rightside up, for they were your great grandmother's wedding-present fromMister Bradford from Arkansas. "

"Yes'm, " answered Stonie, duly impressed. "But I've done packed 'em infour different baskets for you, and if this one don't do all right, can't me and Tobe together carry 'em over the Road to-morrow carefulfor you, Aunt Viney?"

"Well, yes, then you can take 'em out and set 'em back in theirplaces, " answered Miss Lavinia, which order was carried out faithfullyby the General, with a generous disregard of the fact that he had beenlaboring over them under a fire of directions for more than ahalf-hour. 

"Now, Amandy, come away from those flower cans and get out the graveclothes from the bureau drawers and let the boys wrap them in that oldsheet first and then in the newspapers and then put 'em in that boxtrunk with brass tacks over there!" directed Miss Lavinia as MissAmandy wandered over by the window, along which stood a row of tomatocans into which were stuck slips of all the vines and plants on theland of the Briars, ready for transportation across Providence Roadwhen the time came. There was something so intensely pathetic in thiseffort of the fast-fading little old woman to begin to bud from theold life flower-plants to blossom in a new one, into which she couldhardly expect to make more than the shortest journey, that even theGeneral's young and inexperienced heart was moved to a quickcompassion. 

"I'm a-going to carry the flowers over and plant 'em careful for you, Aunt Amandy, " he said as he sidled up close to her and put his armaround her with a protective gesture. "We'll water 'em twice a day andjust _make_ 'em grow, won't we, Tobe?"

"Bucketfuls 'til we drap, " answered Tobe with a sympathy equal to anda courage as great as that of his superior officer. 

"Is the blue myrtle sprig often the graves holding up its leaves, Amandy?" asked Miss Lavinia in a softened tone of voice. 

"Yes, it's doing fine, " answered Miss Amandy, bending over to the lastof the row of cans. 

"Then come on and get out the burying things and let's get that jobover, " Miss Lavinia continued to insist. "Don't get our things mixed!Remember that my grave shift has got nothing but a seemly stitchedband on it while you would have linen lace on yours. And don't letanything get wrinkled. I don't want to rise on Judgment Day lookinglike I needed the pressing of a hot iron. Now pull out the trunk, boys, lift out the tray so as I can--"

But at this juncture Rose Mary appeared at the door with a tray onwhich stood a bowl of soup, and Miss Lavinia lay back on her pillowsweakly, with the fire all gone out of her eyes and exhaustion writtenon every line of her determined old face. 

"Go get dinner, everybody, so we can get back to work, " she directedweakly as she raised the spoon to her lips and then rested a momentbefore she could take another sip. And with the last spoonful shelooked up and whispered to Rose Mary, "You'll have to do the restchild, I can't drive any farther with a broke heart. I've got to laymyself in the arms of prayer and go to sleep. " And so rested, RoseMary left her. 

Then finding the motive powers which had been driving her removed, little Miss Amandy stole away to the cedar grove behind the gardenfence, the boys scampered with the greatest glee across the Road tothe scene of mop and broom action behind the store, and Uncle Tuckerstiffly mounted old Gray to drive the cows away to their separatehomes. The thrifty neighbors had been glad to buy and pay him cash forthe sleek animals, and their price had been the small capital whichhad been available for Uncle Tucker to embark on the commercial seasin partnership with Mr. Crabtree. 

Thus left to herself in the old house, Rose Mary wandered from room toroom trying to put things in shape for the morrow's moving andbreasting her deep waters with what strength she could summon. Up tothis last day some strange hope had buoyed her up, and it was only atthis moment when the inevitable was so plainly closing down upon herand her helpless old people that the bitterness of despair rose in herheart. Against the uprooting of their feebleness her whole naturecried out, and the sacrifice that had been offered her in themilk-house days before, seemed but a small price to pay to avert thetragedy. Doubt of herself and her motives assailed her, and shequivered in every nerve when she thought that thus she had failedthem. What! Was she to save herself and let the sorrow fall on theirbent shoulders? Was it too late? Her heart answered her that it was, for her confession of horror of her purchaser to Uncle Tucker had cutoff any hope of deceiving him and she knew he would be burned at thestake before he would let her make the sacrifice. She was helpless, helpless to safeguard them from this sorrow, as helpless as theythemselves!

For a long hour she stood at the end of the porch, looking across atProvidence Nob, behind whose benevolent head the storm clouds of theday were at last sinking, lit by the glow of the fast-setting sun. Thewind had died down and a deep peace was settling over the Valley, likea benediction from the coming night. Just for strength to go on, RoseMary prayed out to the dim, blue old ridge and then turned to herministrations to her assembling household. 

Uncle Tucker was so tired that he hardly ate the supper set beforehim, and before the last soft rays of the sun had entirely left theValley he had smoked his pipe and gone to bed. 

And soon in his wake retired the General, with two of the small dogsto bear him company in his white cot. But the settling of Miss Laviniafor the night had been long, and had brought Rose Mary almost to thepoint of exhaustion. Tired out by her afternoon over in the littlegraveyard, Miss Amanda had not the strength to read the usual chaptersof retiring service that Miss Lavinia always required of her, and soRose Mary drew the candle close beside the bed and attempted to go onwith her rubbing and read at the same time. And though, if read shemust, the very soul of Rose Mary panted for the comfort of some of thelines of the Sweet Singer, Aunt Viney held her strictly to the wordsof her favorite thunderer, Jeremiah, and little Aunt Amandy bunched upunder the cover across the bed fairly shook with terror as she buriedher head in her pillow to keep out the rolling words of invective thatbegan with an awful "_Harken_" and ended with "_Woe is me now, for mysoul is wearied_!"

"Now, " concluded Miss Lavinia, "you can put out the light. Rose Mary, and if me and Amandy was to open our eyes on the other side of theriver it would be but a good thing for us. Lay the Bible in thatnewspaper on top of that pile of _Christian Advocates_, with a stringto tie 'em all up after morning lesson, to be carried away. The Lordbless and keep you, child, and don't forget to latch the front door onus all for the last time!"

Softly Rose Mary drew the door partly closed and left them in thequiet of the fast-deepening purple dusk. She peeped into UncleTucker's room and assured herself by his sonorous breathing that restat last was comforting him, and for a moment in her own room she bentover the little cot where the General and his two spotted servitorslay curled up in a tangle and fast in the depths of sleep. Then sheopened wide the old hall door that had for more than a century swungover the sill marked off by the length of the intrepid Englishforemother who had tramped the wilderness trail to possess what she, herself, was giving up. 

And as she stood desperate, at bay, with her nest storm tossed andthreatened, suddenly the impossibility of it all came down upon her, and stern with a very rigidity of resolve she went into the house, lighted a candle by the old desk in the hall, and wrote swiftly a fewwords of desperate summons to the Senator. She knew that Friday nightalways found him over the fields at Boliver, and she told him brieflythe situation and asked him to come over in the early morning to therescue--and sacrifice. 

When she had first come out on the porch she had seen young Bob rideup to the store on one of his colts, and she ran fleetly down to thefront gate and called to him. He consented instantly to ride over anddeliver the note for her, but he shot an uneasy glance at her frombeneath his wide hat as he put the letter in his pocket. 

"Is anything wrong, Miss Rose Mary?" he asked anxiously butrespectfully. 

"No, Bob, dear, nothing that--that I can't make--right, " she answeredin a soft, tearless voice, and as he got on his horse and rode awayshe came slowly up the long front walk that was moonflecked from theleaves of the tall trees. Then once more she stood on the old doorsill--at bay. 

And as she looked at the old Ridge across the sweet, bloomingclover-fields, with the darkened house behind her, again the waters ofdespair rose breast-high and heart-high, beat against her achingthroat and were just about to dash over her head as she stretched outone arm to the hills and with a broken cry bent her white forehead inthe curve of the other, but suddenly bent head, tear-blinded eyes, quivering breast and supplicating arms were folded tight in a strongembrace and warm, thirsty lips pressed against the tears on hercheeks as Everett's voice with a choke and a gulp made its way intoher consciousness. 

"I feel like shaking the very life out of you, Rose Mary Alloway, " washis tender form of greeting. 

"You're squeezing it out, " came in all the voice that Rose Mary couldcommand for an answer. And the broad-shouldered, burden-bearing, independent woman that was the Rose of Old Harpeth melted into just atender girl who crushed her heart against her lover's and clung asmeekly as any slip of vine to her young lord oak. "But I don't care, "she finished up under his chin. And Everett's laugh that greeted andaccepted her unexpected meekness rang through the hall and brought acommotion in answer. 

The wee dogs, keen both of ear and scent, shot like small electricvolts from Stonie's couch, hurled themselves through the hall andsprang almost waist-high against Everett's side in a perfect ecstasyof welcome. They yelped and barked and whined and nosed in a tumblingheap of palpitating joy until he was obliged to hold Rose Mary in onearm while he made an attempt to respond to and abate their enthusiasmwith the other. 

"Now, now, that's all right! Nice dogs, nice dogs!" he was answeringand persuading, when a stern call from the depths of Miss Lavinia'sroom, the door of which Rose Mary had left ajar, abstracted her fromEverett's arm on the instant and sent her hurrying to answer thesummons. 

"Is that young man come back? and light the candle, " Miss Laviniademanded and commanded in the same breath. And just as Rose Maryflared up the dim light on the table by the bed Everett himself stoodin the doorway. With one glance his keen eyes took in the situation inthe dim room in which the two old wayfarers lay prepared for themorning journey, and what Miss Lavinia's stately and proper greetingwould have been to him none of them ever knew, for with a couple ofstrides he was over by the bed at Rose Mary's side and had taken thestern old lady into his strong arms and landed a kiss on the ruffle ofwhite nightcap just over her left ear. 

"No leaving the Briars this season, Miss Lavinia, " he said in alaughing, choking voice as he bent across and extracted one of littleMiss Amandy's hands from the tight bunch she had curled herself intounder the edge of her pillow and bestowed a squeeze thereon. "It's allfixed up over at Boliver this afternoon. There's worse than oil on theplace--and it's all yours now for keeps. " With Rose Mary in his armsEverett had entirely forgotten to announce to her such a minor fact asthe saving of her lands and estate, but to the two little old ladieshis sympathy had made him give the words of reprieve with his firstfree breath. The bundles on the floor and the old trunk had smote hisheart with a fierce pain that the impulsive warmth of his greetingand the telling of his rescue could only partly ease. 

"The news only reached me day before--" he was going on to explainwhen, candle in hand, Uncle Tucker appeared in the doorway. Hislong-tailed night-shirt flapped around his bare, thin old legs, andevery separate gray lock stood by itself and rampant, while his eyesseemed deeper and more mystic than ever. 

"Well, what's all this ruckus?" he demanded as he peered at themacross the light of his candle. "Have any kind of cyclone blowed youfrom New York clean across here to Harpeth Valley, boy?"

"He has come back with the mercy of our Lord in his hands to save ourhome; and you go put on your pants before your pipes get chilled, Tucker Alloway, " answered Aunt Viney in her most militant tone ofvoice. "And, Rose Mary, you can take that young man on out of here nowso Amandy can take that shame-faced head of hers out of that featherpillow. It's all on account of that tored place in her night-cap Itold her to mend. You needn't neither of you come back no more, because we must get to sleep, so as to be ready to unpack beforesun-up and get settled back for the day. And don't you go to bed, neither one of you, without reading Jeremiah twelfth, first to lastverse, and me and Amandy will do the same. " With which Everett foundhimself dismissed with a seeming curtness which he could plainly seewas an heroic control of emotion in the feeble old stoic who wastrembling with exhaustion. 

Uncle Tucker, called to account for the lack of warmth and alsopropriety in his attire, had hastened back to his own apartment andEverett found him sitting up in his bed, lighting the old cob withtrembling fingers but with his excitement well under control. Helistened intently to Everett's hurried but succinct account of thesituation and crisis in his own and the Alloway business affairs, ashe puffed away, and his old eyes lighted with excitement at the rushof the tale of high finance. 

And when at last Everett paused for lack of breath, after his dramaticclimax, the old philosopher lay back on his high-piled feather pillowsand blinked out into the candle-light, puffed in silence for a fewminutes, then made answer in his own quizzical way with a radiantsmile from out under his beetling white brows:

"Well, " he said between puffs, "looks like fortune is, after all, acurious bird without even tail feathers to steer by nor for a man toketch by putting salt on. Gid failed both with a knife in the back anda salt shaker to ketch it, but you were depending on nothing but aringdove coo, as far as I can see, when it hopped in your hand. Ireckon you'll get your answer. "

"Are you willing--to have me ask for it, Mr. Alloway?" asked Everettwith a radiant though slightly embarrassed smile. 

"Yes, " answered Uncle Tucker as he knocked the ashes out of his pipeagainst the table and looked straight into Everett's eyes. "After aman has plowed a honest, straight-furrowed field in life it's nomore'n fair for Providence to send a-loving, trusting woman to meethim at the bars. Good night, and don't forget to latch the front doorwhen you have finally torn yourself away from that moonlight!"

And the call of the young moon that came with the warm garden-scentedgusts of winds that were sweeping across Harpeth Valley was a riot inEverett's veins as he made his way through the silent hall toward themoonlit porch on the top step of which he could see Rose Mary sittingin the soft light, but a lusty young snore from a dark room on theleft made him remember that there was one greeting he had missed. Hebent over the General's little cot, across which lay a long shaft ofthe white light from the hilltops, and was about to press his lips onthe warm, breath-stirred ones of the small boy, but he restrainedhimself in time from offering to the General in his defenseless sleepwhat would have been an insult to him awake, and contented himselfwith a most cautious and manly clasp of the chubby little hand. 

"Ketch it, Tobe, ketch it--don't let Aunt Viney's vase be broked, "murmured Stonie as he turned on his side and buried his head stilldeeper in the pillow. 

"No, General, Aunt Viney's vase--is--not going to be broken, thankGod, " answered Everett under his breath as he turned away and left theGeneral, who, even in sleep, carried his responsibilities sturdily. 

"Rose Mary, " he said a little later as he stood on the bottom stepbelow her, so that his eyes were just on a level with hers as she satand smiled down upon him, "for a woman, you have very littlecuriosity. Don't you want to ask me where I've been, why I went andwhat I've been doing every minute since I left you? Can it beindifference that makes you thus ignore your feminine prerogative ofthe inquisition?"

"I'm beginning at being glad you are here. Joy's just the white foamat the top of the cup, and it ought not to be blown away, nomatter--how thirsty one is, ought it? Now tell me what brought youback--to save me, " and Rose Mary held out her hand, with one of herlovely, entreating gestures, while her eyes were full of tender tears. And it was with difficulty that Everett held himself to a condition totell her what he wanted her to know without any further delay. 

"Well, " he answered as he raised his lips from a joy draft at the cupof her pink palms, "the immediate cause was a telegram that cameTuesday night. It said '_Gid sells out Mr. Tucker and wants yourgirl_, ' and it was signed '_Bob_. ' All these weeks a bunch of hard oldgoldbugs had been sitting in conclave, weighing my evidence andreports and making one inadequate syndicating offer after another. They were teetering here and balancing there, but at eleven o'clockWednesday morning the cyclone that blew me down here across OldHarpeth originated in the directors' rooms of the firm, and I guessthe old genties are gasping yet. 

"I had that telegram in my pocket, tickets for the three-o'clockSouthern express folded beside 'em, and I put enough daylight into myproposition to dazzle the whole conclave into setting signatures topapers they'd been moling over for weeks. I don't know what did it, but they signed up and certified checks in one large hurry. 

"Then I beat it and never drew breath until I made the Farmers' andTraders' Bank in Boliver this afternoon, covered those notes of Mr. Alloways, killed that mortgage and hit Providence Road for Sweetbriar. I met Bob out about a mile from town, and he put me next to the wholesituation and gave _me_ your note. I don't know which I came nearestto, swearing or crying, but the Plunkett-Crabtree news made me raisea shout instead of either. But if I did what I truly ought, Rose MaryAlloway, I _would_ shake the life out of you for not writing me aboutit all. I may do it yet. "

"Please don't!" answered Rose Mary with a little smile that still heldits hint of the suffering she had gone through. "I thought you wereout of work yourself and couldn't help us, and I didn't want totrouble you. It would have hurt you so to know if you couldn't helpme, and I didn't--"

"God, that's it! Fool that I was to go away and risk leaving youwithout an understanding!" exclaimed Everett in a bitterly reproachfultone of voice. "But I was afraid to let you know what I had discovereduntil I could get the money to settle that mortgage. I was afraid thatyou or Mr. Alloway would unconsciously let him get a hint of the find, and I knew he could and would foreclose any minute. He was suspiciousof me and my prospecting, anyway, and as he was an old, and as youboth thought, tested friend, what way did I have of proving him theslob I knew him to be? I thought it best to go and get the companyformed, the option money paid to cover the mortgage and all of it outof his hands before he could have any chance to get into the game atall. And that was really the best way to manage it--only I hadn'tcounted on his swooping down on--you. Again, God, what I risked!"

"Yes, " answered Rose Mary in a voice that barely controlled the coldhorror of the thought that rose between them, "it almost happened. Ithought I ought to--to save them, even if Uncle Tucker wouldn'tlet me, and I gave Bob that note--to--to him. It almosthappened--to-morrow. Quick, hold me close--don't let me think aboutit--ever!" and Rose Mary shuddered in the crush of Everett's arms. 

[Illustration: "You won't ever leave me any more?"]

"Out in the world, Rose Mary, " said Everett as he lifted his lipsfrom hers, "it would have happened--the tragedy, and you would havebeen the loot; but down here in Harpeth Valley they grow men like yourUncle Tucker, and they turn, by a strange motive power, wheels that donot crush, but--lift. I left you in danger because I had schemed itout in my world's way, fool, fool that I--"

"Please, please don't say things about yourself like that to me, "pleaded Rose Mary, quickly raising her head and smiling through hertears at him. "Go on and tell me what you did find out there in thepasture; don't blow off any more of my foam!"

"Cobalt, if you care to know, " answered Everett with an excited laugh, "the richest deposit in the States I found out--beats a gold mine allhollow. I came on it almost accidentally while testing for the alliedmetals up the creek. Your money will grow in bunches now, for thebiggest and the best mining syndicate in New York has taken it up. You can just shake down the dollars and do what you please from nowon. "

"You'll have to do that sort of orchard work, I'll be busy in thehouse, " answered Rose Mary, with a rapturous, breathless shyness, andshe held out her hand to him with the most lovely of all her littlegestures of entreaty. "You promised once to farm for me and--you won'tever leave--_ever_ leave me any more, will you?"

"No, never, " answered Everett as he took both her hands and at arms'length pressed them against his breast, "I'm not going to enact overagain the rôle of poor chap obliged to be persuaded into matrimony byheiress, but I'm going to take my own and buckle down and see that youpeople get every cent of that dig-up that's coming to you. With thereputation this find gives me I'll be able to jolly well grubstakewith commissions from now on, but I'll hit no trail after this with amule-pack that can't carry double, Mary of the Rose. "

"And that doesn't always lead back in just a little time to--to thenesties?" she asked with the dove stars deep in the pools of her eyes, while ever so slightly her hands drew him toward her. 

"Always a blazed, short cut when they need--us, " he answered, yielding, then paused a moment and held himself from her and said, looking deep into the eyes raised to his, "Truly, rose woman, am Ithat beggar-man who came over the Ridge, cold, and in the tatters ofhis disillusion? Do you suppose Old Harpeth has given me this warmgarment of ideals that wraps me now for keeps?"

"Of course, he has, for it's made for you of your--Father's love. Andisn't it--rose-colored?"

THE END