"Mebbe me a-speakin's I did'll help her," she said. "Seems like it kinder teched her an' sot her thinkin'. She was dretfle fond of her pappy an' she was allers a purty peaceable advise-takin' little thing—though she aint so little nuther. She's reel tall an' slim."
CHAPTER XVIII.
"HE KNEW THAT I LOVED YOU."
It was almost dark when the buggy returned. As Jake drove up to the gate he bent forward to look at something.
"Thar's a critter hitched to the fence," he remarked. "'Taint no critter from round yere. I never seen it afore."
Mrs. Nance came out upon the porch to meet them. She was gently excited by an announcement she had to make.
"Louisianny," she said, "thar's a man in the settin'-room. He's a-waitin' to see ye. I asked him ef he hed anything to sell, an' he sed no he hedn't nothin'. He's purty gen-teel an' stylish, but not to say showy, an' he's polite sort o' manners."
"Has he been waiting long?" Louisiana asked.
"He's ben thar half a hour, an' I've hed the fire made up sence he come."