"Ah 'low not. He certainly was white to me when Ah broke mah laig. 'N as fo' Mr. Baron, Ah always did like him, 'n this is a new tie between us. Now we're brothers."
He chuckled with a full appreciation of his insolence, for the story of von Rittenheim's downfall and its cause was well known throughout the country.
Melissa went white at the malignity of his tone. She turned to Bob with a question:
"Mrs. Carroll 'n Miss Sydney—are they wore to a frazzle takin' care o' him?"
"Mrs. Carroll's all right. They've had two nurses from Asheville all the time, you know. Miss Sydney's wonderful. There's such a lot to do about a house when there's a serious illness, even for people who aren't doing the actual nursing."
"Ah s'pose so. Wouldn' hit be nice, jus' like a story, 'f they'd fall in love with each other—Mr. Baron 'n Miss Sydney?"
"Now, ain' that jus' like a girl!" ejaculated Bud, gulping the last of his coffee.
Bob sat down and fanned himself with his hat.
"Hot, ain' hit?" observed Pink, dryly. Then he turned to Melissa.
"You-all's fo'gittin' that he might be in prison at this minute. No woman o' his class would marry him now. No woman likes to think her man's guilty o' breakin' the law, eh? You-all wouldn' like yo' husband to be a moonshiner, would ye?"