Then Parish came back with a gourd dipper, and forced himself for a few moments into casual conversation. Though to have intimated his purpose and destination would have been a fatal thing, it would have been almost as foolish to wrap in mystery the fact that he meant to make a short journey from home, so as Bas mounted Parish said:
"I've got a leetle business acrost in Virginny, Bas, an' afore long I'm goin' over thar fer a few days."
When Elviry Prooner had consented to come as temporary companion for Dorothy, it seemed merely an adventitious happening that Sim, too, felt the call of the road.
"I don't know es I've named hit to ye afore, Parish," he volunteered the next day as the three sat around the dinner table, "but I've got a cousin thet used ter be more like a brother ter me—an' he got inter some leetle trouble."
"Is thet so, Sim?" inquired Parish with a ready interest. "War hit a sore trouble?"
"Hit couldn't skeercely be holped—but he's been sulterin' in ther penitenshery down thar at Frankfort fer nigh on ter two y'ars now. Erbout once in a coon's age I fares me down thar ter fotch him tidin's of his folks. Hit pleasures him."
Thornton began to understand—or thought he did, and again he inclined his head.
"I reckon, Sim," he said, "ye wants ter make one of them trips now, don't ye?"
"Thet's a right shrewd guess, Parish. Hit's a handy time ter go. I kin git back afore corn-shuckin', an' thar hain't no other wuck a-hurtin' ter be done right now."
"All right, Sim"—the permission came readily—"light out whenever ye gits ready—but come back fer corn-shuckin'."