Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-25
THE OVERTON CLAIM.
By MARTHA nOULLoCH WILLIAMS.
tCOpyright. lS94. by American Press Associa-
 tion.l
CHAPTER V.

TCopyright, 1874, by American Press Associa- tion.l
 CHAPTER V.
 The house at Ridgeley was square, solid, sparely furnished and scrupulous- lv clean. 4 tall narrow portico shadow cd the front door. At the back the roof hung over to form a generous shed pi- aga, upon which, at the west end, the overhanging gable of the log kitchen abutted All the fair weather through this south looking piazza served as a dining room as well as lounging place. The day whereon fate thrust Allen Hay wood upon Ridgeley hospitality gusty shclrS Of rain drove all across the floor, so Black Nanny was fain to fling wide the shutters of the big square room lying to the right of the front door. Somehow she felt curious reluctance to do so.
 Hit fa'arly gimme de creeps, hit dc now,' she muttered, rubbing away at the big mahogany table she had rolled to the room $ middle. Maybe hits all right Dat dar man jest ornery stranger, but de heabenly marster knows don t lik' de favor of i'm. Do ant ter see i'm CT settin we're in dis we're room opposite Dare, an nobody else but des dem two. Hits too lilz dat yother time. Wish't ter Lord ole marSter wus here, but de way hits CT rainin now we 'on't see him fore termorrer. Dat dar creek is past fordin now, an sho' as I'm Diney he went 'crost hit dis mornin, ease hear him ax Jubilee bout de nigh cut tn de Bilin Spring neighborhood, whar ole Aunt Jincey live. Uster be house gal here, she did Wonder if she knows any thing ole marster wanter fin out? She so ole, mos CT hunderd, dee tells me I spec she won't remember him, but l don't know, she big conjure oman, she Is, an no tellin whut dee do, dee so queer.
 Who are you talking to, mammy?" Dare asked, stopping short in the door, a picture of rosy, excited eagerness Without waiting for an answer she dart ed at the old woman, snatched the cloth from her hand and said coaxingly:
 I'll do that, mammy, and set the table too. You go out in the kitchen and see-help Susy, mean. You know no body else can cook like you, and 1 want a real nice dinner the best you can pos sibly get.
 "Umph! Whut reason yo' so bad off bout hit:"
 "Oh, because we have company, strange company, too, somebody who has seen heap of the world, though that does not make a difference You know how careful grandfather always is about strangers and really MT. Haywood''-
 ''Is dat his sho' 'nough name?"
 What a question, mammy! It's the one he gave us. You heard him."
 II did dat. I seen him, too, an hit pears lil' ter me he didn't say it right easy, straight up an down. Dee wus sor- ter hitch fore hit come out. Sides he don't favor his name. I knowed plenty Haywoods back ill Car'liny y
 Who does he favor:"
 Don't ax inc, chile. I ain't got time ter bOdGcr fin in out who all he look lik'. Yo' go on back an retain him dar in de parlor room. Ne'er min bout de dinner. lay he be too busy lookin at yo' ill dat dar white frock, wid dem roses in yo' belt an yo' ha'r, to know whedder he's CT swallerin fried chicken CT meat an snaps Sides I don put on all sorts CT thin's, an that dat fool Suse cain spile um if she try.
 Dare's face grew rosier than ever, but she said, with an attempt at dignity: "You mustn't say such things, mammy. You know very well that I-that he oh, pshaw, I forget. came to ask you to open the press and see if grandfather had any arnica-
 Fin out fer yo'self,' mammy said majestically, fiinging wide the doors of a tall secretary, black with age. ''Yo' kin read de name on dem dar doctors truck, but ef dat dar Mir. Haywood t'ink he know better I does whut good fer CT sprained wris', why, jes' let i'm go long bout fixin hit. I ain't po' ter doc tor i'm, God knows!"
 Yes, you are, mammy. You know you dote on sick people, but this is my doing. His arm pains him dreadfully. know it by the whiteness of his lips, and I read the other day''-
 "Oh, yes, yo' 'read' Much dem news papers knows bout hurted folks. Go on erway, chile. Ncbber seed no good come yit outen foolin wid doctors truck Des soon as dinners ober gwine make i'm CT tansy sweat fer dat arm :"
 ''No, this will do." Dare said, run ming off with tall bottle. Nanny looked after her anxiously, shook her head and went on laying the table for two, stopping now and again to give a grooming sigh and mutter something that sounded like rack an ruin. ''
 If her eyes could have pierced wallc, she would have been even more ruefuL In the parlor across the hall young Hay wood lay at length upon the old fashion ed sofa, his drawn, set face alone pro- claiming what he suffered. Dare Enelt at his side, carefully unbinding the bruised and swollen arm, at sight of which she gave little involuntary cry.
 Let me bathe it, she said, fetching a basin of fresh water A minute later ease seemed to trickle from her slim, soft fingers The stranger looked at her with grateful eyes, saying: How deli cious! If it could but last, would go straight to sleep"
 Try to-" said Dare. "It is the best thing that could possibly happen to you, as she spoke propping his elbow with pillow and supporting the hurt arm with her hand. Her touch brought a quick light into the young fellows eyes He looked straight at her and said:
 Would you really stay there on your knees whole 10 minutes for me?''
 The girl put down the hand she held very gently, got to her feet and said, with dropped eyes: ''I would do it for N A 1
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