"She's sho' too--an' we's moughty 'bleeged ter you, Marse Jeff. Miss Ann an' me air jes' been talkin' 'bout how much you favors yo' gran'pap, Marse Bob Bucknor as war. I don't want ter put no disrespec' on yo' gran'mammy, but if Marse Bob Bucknor had er had his way Miss Ann would er been her." "I believe I have heard that Grandfather was very much in love with Cousin Ann. Why did she turn him down?" asked Jeff, trying not to laugh. "Well, my Miss Ann had so many beau lovers she didn't know which-away ter turn. Her bes' beau lover, Marse Bert Mason, got kilt in the wah an' Miss Ann got it in her haid she mus' grieve jes' so long fer him. But the truf wa' that Miss Ann wouldn't a had him if he had er come back. She wa'n't ready ter step off but she wa' 'lowin' ter have her fling. Then the ol' home kotched afire an' then me'n Miss Ann didn't have no sho' 'nough home an' we got ter visitin' roun' an' Marse Bob, yo' gran'pap, kep a pleadin' an' Miss Ann she kep' a visitin', fust one place then anudder, an' Marse Bob he got kinder tired a followin' aroun' takin' our dus' an' befo' you knowd it he done tramsfered his infections ter yo' gran'mammy, an' a nice lady she wa', but can't none er them hol' a can'le ter my Miss Ann, then or now--'cept'n maybe that purty red-headed gal what goes a whizzin' aroun' the county an' don't drap her eyes fer nobody. 'Thout goin' back a mite on my Miss Ann, I will say that that young white gal sho' do run Miss Ann a clost second." "You mean Miss Judith Buck, Uncle Billy?" and Jeff's face flushed. He had been thinking a great deal about Judith Buck and he was trying to school himself to stop thinking about her. Yet it pleased him that the old darkey should thus mention her. "Yes sah, Miss Judith Buck." "Goodness, Uncle Billy, what is that strange rumbling and buzzing I hear?" interrupted Jeff. "Your carriage sounds as though you had installed a motor in the rear." "Lawsamussy, Mr. Jeff, that ain't nothin' but a bumbly bee nes', what we done pick up somewhere on our roun's. Them bees sho' do give me trouble an' it looks like I can't lose 'em. 'Course I could smoke 'em out but somehow I hates ter make the po' things homeless an' I reckon they's got a notion that the hollow place in the back er this here ca'ige b'longs ter them an' the knot hole they done bored is the front do'. When me'n Miss Ann has ter drive on I jes' sticks a cawn cob in the hole an' the bees trabels with us. Sometimes their buzzin' air kinder comp'ny ter me. I ain't complainin' but times I'm lonesome an' I wisht I mought er had a little cabin somewheres an' mebbe some folks er my own." "Yes, Uncle Billy, I know you must get tired of not having a real home of your own. Didn't you ever marry and haven't you any kin?"