"Susan Jane," said the father, "step ter th' door 'n' see who Jeff's
er-barkin' at."
Eagerly the girl dropped her knitting and hastened to reconnoitre, curious
herself.
"It's Zeke White," she replied, returning to her work.
"I knowed Mandy Calline was spectin' him," muttered Ann Elisabeth, under
her breath.
Father Tyler arose and sauntered to the door, calling out: "You Jeff, ef ye
don't stop that barkin'--Come here this minit, sir! Good-evenin', Zekle;
come in."
"Good-evenin", Mr. Tyler. Is Zachariah ter home?"
"I dun'no'. Malviny, is Zachariah erroun' anywher's 'at ye know of?"
"I dun'no'; I hain't seed 'im sence supper."
"I know," piped up "Little Jim." "He said es he was er-goin' ter Bill
Jackson's. But, Zeke," he added, in a hurried aside, catching hold of the
visitor's coat in his eagerness, "Mandy Calline's ter home, 'n' she's fixed
up ter kill!"
At this juncture Mandy Calline herself appeared in the doorway, striving to
look calmly indifferent at everything in general and nothing in particular;
but the expression in her bright black eyes was shifty, and the color in
her cheeks vied with that of the bow on her hair; and by this time Zekle's
entire anatomy exposed to view shared the tint of his brilliant necktie.
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