bore them flying away across the state, she would hardly have
envied either of them. Between abstraction on the one side
and reserve an the other, they exchanged less conversation
than two strangers might have done. When Miss Mathewson's
eyes drooped with weariness her companion made her as
comfortable as he could and bade her rest. His own eyes were
untouched by slumber: he stared straight before him or out
into the night, seeing nothing but a white farmhouse far
ahead, where his anxious thoughts were waiting for his body to
catch up.

"Are they much sick, Zeke?."

"Wal, I dunno hardly, Red. - You goin' to drive? They're
pretty lively, them blacks. Ain't used to comin' to the
station at two o'clock in the mornin'. Your ma's been
worryin' about your pa for a consid'able spell, and now that
she's took down so severe herself he's gone to pieces some.
Miss Ellen'll be glad to see you."

The blacks covered the mile from the station as they had never
covered it before, and Burns was in the house five minutes
before they had expected him.

"Mother, here's your big boy. - Dad, here I am - here's Red.
Bless your hearts -you wanted me, didn't you?"

They could hardly tell him how they had wanted him, but he saw
it in their faces.