make some sorter arrangement about them all a-staying on just the
same. That'd be mighty kind of him."

"You don't reckon he'd do no such take-me-or-get-out co'ting to Rose
Mary, do you?" asked the soft-natured little Mrs. Poteet with alarmed
sympathy in her blue eyes.

"Oh, no, he ain't that big a fool. Every man knows in marrying an
unwilling woman he's putting himself down to eat nothing but scraps
around the kitchen door. But I wisht Rose Mary could make up her mind
to marry Mr. Newsome. She might as well, for in the end a woman can't
tell nothing about taking a man; she just has to choose a can of a
good brand and then be satisfied, for they all season and heat up
about alike. I never gave him no satisfaction about talking his
praises to her, but I reckon I'm for the tie-up if Rose Mary can see
it that way." And Mrs. Rucker glanced along the Road toward Rose
Mary's milk-house with a kindly, though calculating matchmaking in her
practical eyes.

"I'm kinder for Mr. Mark," ventured the more sentimental Mrs. Poteet
with a smile. "He's as handsome as Rose Mary are, and wouldn't they
have pretty--"

"Oh, shoo, I don't hold with no marrying outen the Valley for Rose
Mary! She's needed here and ain't got no call to gallivant off to New
York and beyont with a strange man, beauty or no beauty. Besides she's
pretty enough herself to hand it down even to the third and fourth
generation. But I must go and see to helping Granny out on the side
porch in the sun. I never want to neglect her, for she's the only
child poor Mr. Satterwhite left me. Now Mr. Rucker--Why there comes