"Wait till he comes back."
The old man, shrewder than she was aware, left off his work and at her looked a droll inquiry. She met his gaze. "Ma'm, you don't mean that with all yo' finery you—"
With a gesture she cut him short, "Don't talk that way, Mr. Starbuck. He comes to me a religion typified, and I would rather walk over a stony road with him than to ride in a chariot with any other human being."
The old man laughed and shook his head. "Oh, I know'd it as soon as I seed his eye a hummin' of a tune, an' I said to myse'f, 'at last the gate has been opened for him.'"
"But please don't say a word about it to anybody, Mr. Starbuck. Let the result come as a surprise."
"I won't, but when does the—"
"Oh, I mustn't tell you that. I want to surprise you, too."
"All right. I reckon I'm the easiest man to surprise you ever come across."
She came closer to him. "Let me turn for you—Uncle Jasper."
He slapped his leg and laughed. "Uncle Jasper! Now that do sound like music, don't it? No, you better not turn this here grind-stone. You mout git splashed."