"Don't say it, Miss Ann, don't say it! Buck Hill air sho' the gyardin spot er all our visitations. What put you in min' er movin' on?" "I overheard, without meaning to in the least, but they spoke quite loudly--I overheard Cousin Milly talking on the subject with some of the others at the ball and I am afraid we are not welcome here." "Why, Miss Ann, 'twas only yistiddy that young Marse Jeff Bucknor up an' made me a solemn promise that you wouldn't never want fer nothin' so long as he mought live an' be able ter do fer you." "That's very sweet of him, Billy, but this isn't his home alone. His mother is the mistress here. I think we might go visit Mr. Big Josh Bucknor for a while. He was very cordial and even said he would come for me in a flying machine because of the bad road leading into his place. What do you think of that, Billy? He said you could follow after with the carriage and horses." "Well, Miss Ann, I think Marse Big Josh air as good as gol' an' as kind as custard, but I can't help a feelin' that he don't mean ev'y-thing he says. Not that he ain't a thinkin' at the time that he will do what he promises, but ev'ybody knows you have ter take what Marse Big Josh says with a dose of salts. I don't mean he wouldn't be proud an' glad ter have us-alls come an' visit him, but I mean he ain't liable ter be a flyin' any time soon er late in this here world er yet the world ter come. He ain't ter say sanctified." "Well, we'll stay on here a while longer then, Billy, but far be it from me to have it said we had worn out our welcome." "Now, Miss Ann, that there ain't possible here at Buck Hill. The house pawty air a breakin' up this day an' mo'n likely the gues' chamber will be returned to its rightful habitant. You mus' a hearn wrong 'bout Miss Milly not wantin' you. Miss Milly's all time stoppin' an' tellin' me how proud she air ter have you here under her roof an' how glad she air ter have sech a zample as you fer her gals ter foller in the footsteps er 'portment an' 'havior. An' Marse Bob air continuously singin' yo' praises. I hearn him tellin' Mr. Philip Throckmorton las' night that you were a gues' it wa' his delight ter honor. An' Mr. Philip Throckmorton said as how as soon as he had a home er his own you would be the fust pusson ter occupew his gues' chamber. An' then Mr. Little Josh he said how noble an' 'stinguished you were an' s'perior. I tell you, Miss Ann, these here folks air all proud er bein' yo' kin. They's all quarrelin' 'bout whar you air gonter visit nex'." Thus the old man soothed her troubled spirit and lulled it into a semblance of repose. At any rate it was easier to pretend that she believed him. At least it made him happy, and in pretending she almost persuaded herself that her kinsmen were glad and anxious to have her. She drank the coffee her old servant brought her and settled herself for a morning of rest, although the house was buzzing with the breaking up of the house party.