“Ther’ now, be still, er ye’ll let ever’body know all erbout it,” he half whispered. “Hit’d be disgraceful.”
“Mr. Tolliver!”
“Sh-h-h! They’ll hear ye!”
“Get right out of this room, you—”
Just then Dufour, who had been slowly aroused from his nap and who while yet half asleep had overheard much of what had been said, stepped forth from behind the curtains and stood looking from one to the other of the excited actors in the little drama.
“What’s up?” he, demanded bluntly.
“He’s accusing me of stealing beads!” cried Miss Crabb. “He’s insulting me!”
“What!” exclaimed Dufour, glaring at Tolliver.
“I feel mighty onery a doin’ it,” said Tolliver, “but hit air pine blank mighty suspicious, Kyernel, hit air for a fac’.”
Dufour looked as if he hardly knew which he should do, laugh boisterously, or fling Tolliver out of the window, but he quickly pulled himself together and said calmly: