the bench. Intent on this occupation and without raising his eyes to the
master, he returned slowly, "Well, you see, I'm sorter married already."

The master sat up quickly.

"What, YOU married--now?"

"Well, perhaps that's a question. It's a good deal like my beein' an
orphan--oncertain and onsettled." He paused to pursue an evasive crumb
to the end of the bench and having captured it, went on: "It was when I
was younger than you be, and she warn't very old neither. But she knew
a heap more than I did; and ez to readin' and writin', she was thar,
I tell you, every time. You'd hev admired to see her, Mr. Ford." As
he paused here as if he had exhausted the subject, the master said
impatiently, "Well, where is she now?"

Uncle Ben shook his head slowly. "I ain't seen her sens I left Mizzouri,
goin' on five years ago."

"But why haven't you? What was the matter?" persisted the master.

"Well--you see--I runned away. Not SHE, you know, but I--I scooted,
skedaddled out here."

"But what for?" asked the master, regarding Uncle Ben with hopeless
wonder. "Something must have happened. What was it? Was she"--

"She WAS a good schollard," said Uncle Ben gravely, "and allowed to be
sech, by all. She stood about so high," he continued, indicating with
his hand a medium height. "War little and dark complected."