"Well, you ain't going to," repeated Ezekiel, with decision.
"Her Gran beat her." Peletiah went over to his brother. "She beat Rachel." He kept repeating it, over and over; meanwhile Ezekiel moved about in confusion, digging the toes of his shoes into the gravel to hide it.
"Well, she ain't going to shake me," he said, but it was in a fainter voice, and he didn't look at Rachel's eyes.
"And you mustn't ask Mother to send her back," said Peletiah stubbornly.
"She ain't going to shake me." It was now so low that scarcely any one could hear it.
"And you mustn't ask Mother to send her back," said Peletiah again. "She's going to stay here just for ever and ever."
There was something in his tone that made Ezekiel hasten to say:
"Oh, I won't."
"And I won't shake you," said Rachel, flying out from behind her hands and up to him, "if you'll only let me stay here; just let me stay," she cried, hungrily.
"Well," said Ezekiel, with a great deal of condescension, "if you won't shake me, you may stay at our house."