Alma record., 1914-02-05
CHAPTER x.
The Hunt.

| ih'O Vut uusly IOOlu III Il very SlOIy'
He rolled from the blanket and stood
upright, filling his lungs with long
| deep breath of satisfaction. He felt
singularly light-hearted and alive. The
| bulldog came bounding through the
window, dirty from the weeds, and
flung himself upon his master in a
canine rapture.
Get OUT" quoth the latter, laugh
ing. Stop licking my feet! How the
dickens do you suppose I'm to get into
my clothes with your ridiculous antics
going on? Down, l say! Hark!" He
broke of and listened. Who's that
singing?'
The sound drew nearer-a lugu-
brious chant, with the weirdest minor
reflections, family suggestive Of the
rag-time ditties of the music-halls, yet
with q plsintive cadence.
Good morning, Uncle Jefferson"
The singer broke OF, set down the
twig-broom that he had been welding
and came toward him. "Mawnin', sub.
Mawnin'." he said. Hopes yo'.all
slep' good All reck'n dem ar birds
woke yo' up; dey's maxim sch er
'miration."
Thank you. Never slept better in
my life. Am laboring under a delu-
sion when l imagine smell coffee?"
Just then there came a voice from
the open door Of the kitchen: Calls
yosef or man, yo' trifin' recon
structed niggah! Wen marstah gwine-
ter git he brekfus' wild yo' ramshack-
lin eroun' wild dat dawg all his
Gawd s-blessid mawnin'? Go fotch
some mo- fiah-wood dis minute. Yo'
heah?"
A turbaned head poked itself
through the door, with a good-natured
leaf-brown face beneath 1t, which
broadened into a wide smile as it's
owner bobbed energetically at Va
liant's greeting. "Fo' de Lawd" she
exclaimed, wiping floury hands on a
gingham apron. "Yo' sho' is up early,
but All got yo' brekfus' ready, suh."
"All right, Aunt Daphne. I'll be
back directly"
He sped down to the lake to plunge
his head into the cool water and there
by sharpen the edge of an appetite
that needed no honing.
He came up the trail again to find
the readingstand transferred to the
porch and laid with white cloth on
which was set steaming coffee-pot
with fresh cream, saltless butter and
crisp hot biscuit; and as he sat down,
with a sigh of pure delight, in his
dressing-gown "a crepy Japanese
thing redeemed from womanishness
by the bold green bamboo of its de-
sign-Uncle Jefferson planted before
him generous platter of bacon, eggs
and potatoes. These he attacked with
a surprising keenness AS he buttered
his fifth biscuit he looked at the dog,
rolling on his back in morning costa
sy, with a look of humorous surprise.
"Chum,r he said, what do you
think of that? All my life a single
roll and a cup of coffee have been
the most | could ever negotiate for
breakfast, and then it was apt to taste
like chips and whet-stones. And now
look at this plate!" The dog ceased
winnowing his ear with a hind foot
and looked back at his master with
much the same expression. Clearly
his own needs had not been forgot
ten.
"Reck'n All bettah go ter git dat ar
machine thing" said Uncle jefferson
behind him. "Or CONAN, heah, she
low ter fix up de kitchen dis mawn-
in en- we begin on de house dis eve-
nin'."
"Right-o," said Valiant. Its all up
hill, so the motor won't run away
with you. Aunt Daphne, can you get
some help with the cleaning?"
"Hep?" that worthy responded with
fine scorn. mo, sub. Moughty few,
in de town 'cep'n low-down yaller new
issue trash det ain wu'f KILN! All
gwineter go fo' dat house mahse'f TO
long, hannah en- tongs, en- git 1t fix
up!"
Splendid! My destiny is in your
hands. You might take the dog with
you, Uncle Jefferson; the run will do
him good"
When the latter had disappeared
and truculent sounds from the kitchen
indicated that the era Of strenuous
cleaning had begun. he reentered the
library, changed the water in the rose
glass and set it on the edge of the
shady front porch, where its Haunting
blossom made a dash of bright GRIM
son against the grayed weather-beaten
brick. This done, he opened the one
large room on the ground-hoor that he
had not visited.
It was double the size of the library,
a parlor hung in striped yellow silk
vaguely and tenderly faded, with
tall plate mirror set over . marble