"Hain't I got no eyes, ner years?" "Ye hev, sarting, an' a tongue." "Now, smarty! Ye think ye've said somethin'!" "Beg parding. But this yer stuff 'bout love, hit air a bad thing. I commence ter see into some er Milly's cur'us notions, ef thet air's the case. But dang ef I b'lieve sech a thing." "Well, hit air the case, an' there's more ter come. Ye hain't hearn the wo'st part." "An' what d'ye mean by thet?" "I mean a heap, thet's w'at I mean." "A heap er what?" "Ef ye'll promerse me on yer wordy honor ter keep still tell I say at ye may go free, I'll tell yer w'at." "I promerse, sarting." "On yer wordy honor?" "Yes." "I'm erfeard ye'll go ter bein' a fool an' makin' a fuss 'fore I whant ye to. 'Cause ye see, hit mayn't be es bad es it mought." As Mrs. White said this, White looked searchingly into her face, and what he saw there caused him to move uneasily and puff his tobacco smoke nervously. "What is this yer what yer a hintin' at, anyhow?" he demanded, almost fiercely. "I hain't erbleeged ter tell ye, an' I'll jest never do hit er tall, ef yer a goin' to be er fool an' high-rantin' aroun' like er eejet er somethin'." "Didn't I promerse ye? Hain't thet enough? Ef hit tain't, what d'ye want me to do?" "W'y I whant ye ter never say er word ter nobody 'bout w'at I tell ye, tell I say so, not a single word, nor do a thing 'bout hit of any kind. Do ye promerse?" "Yes." "On yer sacurd wordy honor?" "Yes, dang it all, go on!" "Now I'r a goin' ter tell ye somethin' at air orful, an' I don't know w'at to do erbout hit. But 'member, yer promersed me." "Yes." "Ye'll keep right still, an' never say a word, er do a single thing erbout hit?" "Yes, I tole ye thet, long ago, 'bout a dozen times. Go on, an' say what yer a goin' to." They were looking at each other, as people do who are about to experience some grave domestic crisis, Mrs. White's sallow face had suddenly taken on a hot flush, and her eyes looked worried and hollow. "I d'know hardly how ter say hit with my mouth," she falteringly began. "I wush I never hed a been born'd, no how!" Tears came into her eyes and her lips quivered. White leaned over close to her, taking the pipe from his mouth, and said in a low, hoarse voice: "What air the matter, wife?" "Oh, a heap, a heap air the matter!" she sobbed. White put his hand on her shoulder and brought his ear close to her lips. "Tell me now, I want er know," he gently and gravely urged. She whispered something in a rapid, sobbing way. Not more than a dozen words, but White's face shriveled as if with a great heat. He drew back from her and glared like a wild beast. Not a sound came from his writhing lips. His thin jaws quivered. "'Member yer sacurd wordy honor," said the woman. "Ye promersed me, ye know." He got up and tramped aimlessly around the room. Presently he took down his long flint-lock rifle from its rack over the door, and blew into its muzzle.