"Milly? She love? She love him?"

"Ye-es, she-e lo-ove hi-im!" drawled Mrs. White in a high key, wagging her head with each word.

White looked at her in utter consternation.

"Thet leetle silly gal love him? W'y she air no more'n a tom-tit er a hominy-bird ter be a lovin' the Colonel. Shorely she hain't gone an' been no sich a dang fool es thet!"

"She hev."

"How d'ye know?"

"Hain't I got no eyes, ner years?"

"Ye hev, sarting, an' a tongue."

"Now, smarty! Ye think ye've said somethin'!"

"Beg parding. But this yer stuff 'bout love, hit air a bad thing. I commence ter see into some er Milly's cur'us notions, ef thet air's the case. But dang ef I b'lieve sech a thing."