stood glaring. "Yes, _he's_ at the bottom of it. As if a man of _his_
stripe an' character would be a judge. I have heard a few items about
him if you all haven't. Folks talk about 'im scand'lous in Atlanta.
They say he leads a fast life down there. You'd better keep Dolly away
from 'im. He won't do. He has robbed good men an' women of their money
in his shady deals, an' folks tell all sorts o' tales about 'im."

"Thar you go ag'in," Tom Drake broke in, with a hearty laugh. "First
one thing an' then another. You would swear a man's life away one
minute an' hug it back into 'im the next. Now, I kin prove what I say,
an' you both ought to be ashamed. Mostyn not only told Dolly that
dress was the purtiest thing he ever seed, but he told me to come in
here an' make 'er take it."

The twine fell from the spinster's mouth. She eyed Mrs. Drake
steadily. Mrs. Drake rose slowly to her feet. She went to the
dressmaker and touched her tragically on the arm. She said something
in too low a voice for her husband to catch it.

"Do you think that's it?" Miss Munson asked, a womanly blaze in her
eyes.

"Yes, I saw her talkin' to Tobe at the fence," Mrs. Drake said,
tremulously. "He turned square around and went back to town. Then you
remember Dolly wanted to hurry over there. Miss Stella, she is my own
daughter, an' maybe I oughtn't to say it, bein' 'er mother, but she's
got the biggest, tenderest heart in her little body that ever the Lord
planted in human form." Miss Munson stood with filling eyes for a
silent moment, then she tossed the dress, paper, and twine on the bed.