finger-tips.

"A few of your pats will cripple Jim for a week," she observed,
"so you'd better be careful; he's too useful a friend to lose
while there are any jobs to do."

"Why, if I had that muscle I could run a farm with one hand,"
said Jim. "Give a plough a single push, Christopher, and I
believe it would run as long as there was level ground."

Cynthia, standing at the kitchen window with a cuptowel slung
across her arm, watched the three chatting merrily in the
sunshine, and the look of rigid resentment settled like a mask
upon her face. She was still gazing out upon them when Docia
opened the door behind her and informed her in a whisper that
"Ole miss wanted her moughty quick."

"All right, Docia. Is anything the matter?"

"Naw'm, 'tain' nuttin' 'tall de matter. She's des got fidgetty."

"Well, I'll come in a minute. Are you better to-day? How's your
heart?"

"Lawd, Miss Cynthia, hit's des bruised all over. Ev'y breaf I
draw hits it plum like a hammer. I hyear hit thump, thump, thump
all de blessed time."

"Be careful, then. Tell mother I'm coming at once."