"She ain't no more than forty, and she don't look that. She's well fixed, too; she ain't no need to work, Cousin ain't; she come here to accommodate, you understand."
"I understand!" said Calvin; "you blamed old ferret!" Calvin was fond of finishing his sentences in silence.
"Now what I say is,—" and Mr. Sim leaned forward, and sank his voice to a whisper,—"What I say is, that woman ought not to go out of the family, Calvin Parks!"
Calvin grunted. A grunt may mean anything, and Mr. Sim took it for assent.
"Jes' so! That's what I'm sayin'. I knew you'd see it that way. Now, Calvin, I want you to help us."
A spark came into Calvin's brown eyes. "Help you!" he repeated. "What's the matter? Ain't you old enough to speak for yourself?"
"Not for myself, Calvin!" cried Mr. Sim. "No, no, no! for Sam'l! for Sam'l!"
"Well, I am blowed!" said Calvin Parks.
Mr. Sim leaned forward anxiously. "Don't you see, Cal?" he cried. "I ain't a marryin' man; that's plain to be seen. Sam'l was allers the one for the gals, you know he was. You remember Ivy Bell?"
Calvin nodded.