"She's in her room getting ready for company," was Eleanor's amused
reply.
"Wall, you-all kin do me a big favor ef you-all explain like-as-how Ah
was too sick to come in, to-night. She tol' me Ah jus' had to call on
her, to-night, but Ah ain't got courage. Ah kin see jus' whar all this
callin' and sittin' alone of evenin's, is goin' to land me. Sary Dodd's
got a powerful way for a woman, and Ah ain't no marryin' man--am Ah,
Polly?"
Jeb's plaintive tone and his beseeching eyes convulsed Eleanor with the
desire to laugh, but Polly saw how serious he was, in his fear of being
caught by a woman's wiles, and she replied:
"No, Jeb; you are not a marrying man, I can say that much. And Sary
ought to know better than to lure you on with all her past experiences
of mankind."
Polly's earnest explanation made Eleanor lose control of herself and
she sat down in a kitchen chair and laughed so heartily that Sary
hurried forth. Jeb instantly ducked and tried to lose himself in the
dense darkness of the out-of-doors, but Sary was too quick for him.
She darted to the door, called him with an imperative voice, and
brought the recreant back to his duty of calling. Then she turned to
the two girls, and said calmly, but with meaning:
"Ah'se much obliged fer th' dish-washin'. Ah'll see that the kitchen is
set to rights fer the evenin'."
With this dismissal, Polly and Eleanor had to go, and laughing still,
they went through the living-room door to join the others who sat about
the round table figuring and planning.
Pages:
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215