friend." So, mustering all her courage, she turned into Jacob
Moody's dooryard, where he was chopping wood.

"It's a pleasant afternoon, Mr. Moody," she said in a polite but
hoarse whisper, Rebecca's words, "LEAD UP! LEAD UP! ringing in
clarion tones through her brain.

Jacob Moody looked at her curiously. "Good enough, I guess," he
growled; "but I don't never have time to look at afternoons."

Emma Jane seated herself timorously on the end of a large log
near the chopping block, supposing that Jacob, like other hosts,
would pause in his tasks and chat.

"The block is kind of like an idol," she thought; "I wish I could
take it away from him, and then perhaps he'd talk."

At this moment Jacob raised his axe and came down on the block
with such a stunning blow that Emma Jane fairly leaped into the
air.

"You'd better look out, Sissy, or you'll git chips in the eye!"
said Moody, grimly going on with his work.

The Daughter of Zion sent up a silent prayer for inspiration, but
none came, and she sat silent, giving nervous jumps in spite of
herself whenever the axe fell upon the log Jacob was cutting.

Finally, the host became tired of his dumb visitor, and leaning
on his axe he said, "Look here, Sis, what have you come for?