“So I took k’neen and juniper tea, and fancied I hed night sweats—­jest the cussedest time, Jim, thet yo’ ever seen.

“One day when I war a-sittin’ in ther house and a-mopin’, Aunt Sue cum in and looked hard at me, and says she:  ‘Mr. Jordan, does yo’ know what’s der matter wid ye?’

“I told her I didn’t; thet I’d give a band o’ cattle ter find out.

“‘Laws,’ says she, ‘I’d tell cheaper’n dat, only yo’d think I is sassy.’

“I said:  ‘Aunty, yo’ goahead.  If yo’s sassy, I’s too sick to care.’

“‘Why, bless yo’ soul, honey,’ says she, ’yo’s jest ded in lub wid the schoolma’m, Mrs. Margaret.  I noze.  I’s been dar myself.’

“‘O, git out,’ says I.

“She went out laffin’, but at ther door she stopped a second and says: 

“‘Dat’s it, sho, Mr. Jordan,’ and after ther door closed I hearn her ha-hain’.

“Then I did some thinkin’ for the next half hour, and I said ter myself, ‘It’s thet, sho nuff.’

“The school term war ter close next day, and ther teacher had made her ’rangements ter leave right away for her home up No’th—­Ierway, I b’lieve.  The contract war for $100 er month, but when we met ter fix up ther money I told ther trustees that some o’ ther neighbors hed been thet pleased with ther school thet they had put up a little extry puss o’ money, enough ter pay ther teacher’s board and give her $150 extry.  It war a bald-headed pervarication, Jim, but I thot it jestifiable under the sarcumstances, inasmuch as I put up ther hull money myself.

“I war fur gone.  She closed ther school next evenin’; cum up ter ther house; wus goin’ ter remain till the train cum by fur ther No’th at 11:15 next day.  We hed supper and breakfast as usual.  After breakfast ther boys all went off ter ther wo’k, and Aunt Sue went ter a neighbor’s to borrer some bakin’ powder.  I was sittin’ on ther verandy when the schoolma’m cum out, and walkin’ close up, says she:  ’Mr. Jordan’—­waiter, bring me a brandy smash—­’Mr. Jordan,’ says she, ’I want to thank you for all your gentle and generous kindness to me.  Except for your thoughtful consideration I should have had a much harder time here.  I thank you with all my heart.’”

Sedgwick noticed that he had repeated the exact words without a mistake in pronunciation.  They had evidently been burned into his very soul.

He drank the brandy, and then with a husky voice went on: 

“‘Yo’ break me all up, Mrs. Hazelton,’ says I.  ’We is such rough folks down har.  Yo’ have been er providence ter ther place.’

“She blushed a little at that, and said:  ‘You are too kind.’

“‘Not a blamed bit,’ says I, and then realizin’ it war my only chance, I blurted out:  ‘I’ll be mighty sorrerful when yo’ is gone.  I don’t know how others as knows how does it, but I want ter tell yer thet because of yer the flowers is brighter, the birds sing sweeter, the sunshine is clearer, the sky more smilin’, and I cud get down and crawl on the ground yo’ has walked over, that bad do I worship yer.  And if yo’ cud stay and marry me and civilize me, I’d try to brush up and be a decenter man than I ever war; leastways, I’d clar ev’ry rock and thorn outer yer path.’