His voice was husky and he was assuming a tragic air. Miss Crabb felt a strange thrill creep throughout her frame as a sudden suspicion seemed to leap back and forth between her heart and her brain. "No, I assure you that I could not be angry with you, Mr. Tolliver, under any circumstances," she murmured, "you have been so very kind to me." "Hit air awful confusin' an' hit mek a feller feel smaller 'n a mouse ter speak it right out, but then hit air no foolishness, hit air pine blank business." "Of course," said Miss Crabb pensively, "of course you feel some embarrassment." He hitched himself up in his chair and crossed his legs. "Ef ye don't like w'at I say, w'y I won't blame ye a bit. I feel jest as if I wer a doin' somethin' 'at I hadn't orter do, but my mammy she say I must, an' that do everlastin'ly settle it." "Yes, your mother's advice is always safe." "Safe, I shed say so! Hit's mighty onsafe fer me not ter foller it, I kin tell ye. She'd thump my old gourd fer me in ermazin' style ef I didn't." "Thump my old gourd," repeated Miss Crabb, making a note. "Go on, Mr. Tolliver, please." "S'pose I mought as well, seein' 'at it has ter be said." He paused, faltered, and then proceeded: "Well, beggin' yer parding, Miss Crabb, but ever sence ye wer' down ther' ter we all's cabin, hit's been a worryin' my mammy and me, an' we hev' talked it all over an' over." "Yes," sighed Miss Crabb. "Hit's not the cost of them beads, Miss Crabb, they air not wo'th much, but they was guv ter mammy by her aunt Mandy Ann Bobus, an' she feel like she jest can't give 'em up." Miss Crabb looked puzzled. "Ef ye'll jest erblige me an' hand them beads over ter me, I'll never say er wo'd ter nobody ner nothin." "Mr. Tolliver, what in the world do you mean?" cried Miss Crabb, rising and standing before him with a face that flamed with sudden anger. "Ye mought er tuck 'em kinder accidentally, ye know," he suggested in a conciliatory tone, rising also. "Mr. Tolliver!" she almost screamed. "Ther' now, be still, er ye'll let ever'body know all erbout it," he half whispered. "Hit'd be disgraceful." "Mr. Tolliver!" "Sh-h-h! They'll hear ye!" "Get right out of this room, you--" Just then Dufour, who had been slowly aroused from his nap and who while yet half asleep had overheard much of what had been said, stepped forth from behind the curtains and stood looking from one to the other of the excited actors in the little drama. "What's up?" he, demanded bluntly. "He's accusing me of stealing beads!" cried Miss Crabb. "He's insulting me!" "What!" exclaimed Dufour, glaring at Tolliver. "I feel mighty onery a doin' it," said Tolliver, "but hit air pine blank mighty suspicious, Kyernel, hit air for a fac'." Dufour looked as if he hardly knew which he should do, laugh boisterously, or fling Tolliver out of the window, but he quickly pulled himself together and said calmly: "You are wrong, sir, and you must apologize."