“Yes’m,” Hitch responded promptly. “Dat’s jes’ de med’cine I needs. De dorctor obscribes brandy fer all my ailments.” Dainty extracted a key from the pocket of her dress and opened the door of a little storeroom which contained a little trunk. Drawing forth another key, she opened the trunk and brought out a jug. “I’s glad Dude didn’t come to de house wid you,” Dainty remarked. “I don’t let him hab no more booze. He come home ’bout two weeks ago an’ couldn’t git past dat oak tree out dar in dat yard. He seed two trees whar dar wusn’t but jes’ only one, an’ he mighty nigh butted his fool head off tryin’ to walk between dem trees.” She set the jug and the drinking glass beside Hitch Diamond and took her seat in a rickety hide-bottomed chair. Hitch looked at the glass, picked it up and fumbled it, and set it down apologetically. “Sister Dainty,” he murmured, “ef you ain’t got no objections, I’ll drink outen dis jug de way I wus raised.” Catching the handle with his left hand, he gave the jug a quick turn, rested it upon the crook of his uplifted elbow, and applied his lips to the spout. Dainty watched him with fascinated eyes. When at last he set the jug upon the table and seated himself beside it, she said with a chuckle: “Elder, when I wus a little gal I wus always countin’--I used to count de cobs in de feed-trough, an’ de beans in a hull, an’ de number of swallers a cow tuck when she drunk water.” “Jes’ so,” Hitch responded, wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his red undershirt. “Seben swallers is a big drink fer a cow, elder,” Dainty continued. “Dat’s right,” Hitch agreed. “Elder,” Dainty chuckled, “when you wus drinkin’ outen my jug, you swallered fo’teen times!” “Yes’m,” Hitch replied solemnly. “I tole you I wus feelin’ powerful sick!” Suddenly he remembered that he was playing the part of a preacher. He decided he ought to say something religious. So he began: “Sister Dainty, dis am de Bible law about de imbibin’ of awjus liquors: de amount of booze a man oughter drink depen’s on how much he kin hold inside hisse’f an’ at de same time resist de effecks; but, neverdeless an’ howsumever, eve’y man oughter take a little dram fer his stomick’s ache in case of powerful sickness.” “Yes, suh,” Dainty agreed. “Now you notify de case of yo’ husbunt tryin’ to make a goat of hisse’f an’ butt down all de timber in de yard. I feels like I oughter tell you dat dat nigger is plum’ full of guile. Right dis minute, he’s figgerin’ to fall in de bayou an’ come to de house all wet, an’ say de bull done butted him, an’ ax fer a leetle drap.” “Am--_dat_--so?” Dainty inquired with popping eyes. “Yes’m,” Hitch assured her. “Of co’se, a man in my perfesh don’t harmonize wis no sech plans like dat. Hit’s a sin ag’in’ de conscience.” Dainty stood up and laid her hand upon the handle of the jug.