Part 21 (1/2)

”No, ma'm, I won't do that. It is not for me to place an estimation upon you. I don't know much about--”

”Come right in,” Margaret called to Mose Blake, hesitating at the door.

She led him into the room and began to introduce him to the company.

”Mose, this is Miz Mayfield--” Mose shook hands with Jim. ”No, this is Miz Mayfield.” Mose shook hands with Lou, then with Mrs. Mayfield, and turning to Tom, to whom he was now presented, shook the stool which Tom held in his hand and upon which he was about to sit, took it from him and sat down. ”All h--h--h--h--hands w--w--well, I h--h--hope.”

”Well as usual,” Margaret answered, sitting down in the rocker. ”Why ain't you folks been over?”

”Been a t--t--t--tryin' t--t--t--t--t--to git off. Granny sot t--t--t--the feather b--b--b--bed a--f--f--fire night afore l--l--l--last an' come mighty n--n--n--nigh b--b--b--burnin' up.”

”Why, you don't say so?” Margaret exclaimed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”YES, I D-D-D-DO SAY SO, A-A-A-ATTER A F-F-F-FAs.h.i.+ON.”]

”Yes I d--d--d--do say so a--a--a--atter a f--f--f--fas.h.i.+on.”

”How far do you live from here Mr. Blake?” Tom inquired.

”Oh, 'bout t--t--t--three sights and a g--g--g--good long w--w--w--walk.”

”Charmingly indefinite,” said Mrs. Mayfield and Jim, his eyes set, nodded to her. Tom declared himself willing to bet that Mose was a good fellow, ”and I don't want to be impertinent,” he ventured to remark, ”but do you know they can cure stammering now? They can.”

”Y--y--y--yes, I kik--kik--kik--know. I tuck--tuck some l--l--l--lessons once a--a--a--and was kik--kik--kik--cured. Got along all r--r--r--right till I t--t--tried to talk--long as I di--d--d--din didn't say nuthin'.

Lou, air you g--g--g--goin' to church Sunday?”

”I don't know.”

”Lowed I'd g--g--g--go with you. Mother said I ought to go up to the m--m--m--m--m--mourner's b--b--bench, but p--p--p--p--pap he 'lowed if I did git 'ligion I couldn't s--s--s--shout. But I'm in a hurry this m--m--m--m--mornin'. Granny's sick and wants some m--m--m--med--hison.”

”What's the matter with her?” Margaret inquired.

”Don't know. She didn't s--s--s--say.”

”But what sort of medicine did they send you after?”

”Oh, a--a--a--any sort you ain't g--g--g--got no use fur.”

”Why, that won't do,” Mrs. Mayfield spoke up. ”Why don't you send for a physician?”

”Oh, that's a--a--a--all right. It never makes any d--d--dif--difference with granny what s--s--sort of medicine she t--t--t--take--takes. If you go to church Sunday, L--L--L--Lou, I may see you there. G--g--g--got somethin' to s--s--s--say to you.”

”How are you going to manage to say it?” Lou asked and he began to make signs.

”Perhaps,” said Mrs. Mayfield, ”what he has to say could be conveyed by signs.”

”Yes,” Tom declared, ”signs are very impressive. Fellow made a few at me once and when he got through I found he'd knocked me down.”

”Knocked you down!” cried Lou. ”Oh, how could anybody knock you down?”

Mrs. Mayfield looked at Jim. ”How charming to be a hero in the sight of a beautiful eye.”