"It air 'bout Student Graves," explained Longman.
A glint of gold flashed from under her lowered lids and a slow, deep scarlet ran in waves upward from her chin.
"What 'bout the student?" she demanded, dropping again to the bench and placing the basket at her feet.
The squatter looked down. It was hard to say what he must with the young face so confidently questioning.
"He air a goin' round with a nuther girl," he barked presently. "I been hearin' an' so air ma—"
Tessibel rose, startled, and once more took up the basket. Some gossiping tongue had been reviling her dear one.
"It air a big lie, 'Satisfied'," she uttered breathlessly. "I don't want to hear nothin' against 'im uther. What tongue told ye that only wanted to make ye feel sad fer me." She paused, then turned, but whirled back. "When ye love a person an' love 'im hard, lies told about 'im don't set well. Ye know they don't, Daddy Longman."
"Sure, I know it," replied the squatter, in quick-spoken sympathy. "Only ma and me thought as how ye ought to know the things we heard."
Tess was standing rigid, gazing stormily defiant into the weather-beaten old face. Wasn't she going to be married to the student that night! And how many, many times Frederick had told her he loved but her; that no other woman could ever take her place!
"I ain't goin' to believe it, if the hull hellish world tells me so," she flashed forth tempestuously. "Now I air goin' to give the bread to Mammy Longman, 'Satisfied'."