A deep resentment against the man who thus interfered with his practice moved within him. When he came to Hickory Mountain, instead of following the road around by the mill, he took the one leading across through the lands of Nicholas Parks. It was mid-afternoon when he stopped in the road before the Schoolteacher's house. He called. A woman came to the door, her heavy hair the color of wheat straw. The doctor made an exclamation of profound astonishment. “Yaller Mag!” he said. “Now what's that hussy doin' here?” When the woman saw that the person in the road was the doctor, she went hack into the house and presently came out with a brown earthen crock. She walked down the path from the door bearing the crock in her hand. When she came out into the road, she held the crock up to the doctor. “The School-teacher told me to give you this money when you come,” she said. There was a handful of silver coins in the crock. Again the doctor was astonished. “When I come!” he echoed. “How did he know that I was coming?” “I don't know how he knew it,” replied the woman. “What did he tell you to give it to me for?” “He didn't tell me.” The doctor looked at the pieces of silver. “I suppose this is money that the people have paid him. How much did old Black pay him?” “He never paid him anything,” replied the woman. “Nobody ever paid him anything.” “Who give him this money then?” “Nobody give it to him,” said the woman. “It was in that crock on the shelf when old Nicholas Parks died. It ain't been touched.” The doctor looked at the dust-covered handful of silver. “If nobody pays him, an' he hasn't used any of this, where does he get money to buy things with?” “He don't buy anything.” “What does he live on, then?” “Well,” said the woman, “when Nicholas Parks died, there was flour in the barrel. It ain't run out. It looks like it never would run out. Now, will you take the money, so I can get some feed for the horse?” Again the doctor was astonished. “How do you know that the horse hasn't been fed?” “I don't know it,” replied the woman. “Then what do you want to feed him for?” “I want to feed him,” replied the woman, “because the School-teacher told me to.” “Told you to feed my horse?” “Yes, he told me to give you this money and to feed your horse. Are you goin' to take the money?” “No,” said the doctor. “I'm not goin' to take it. I want to see the Schoolteacher himself. Where is he?” “He's down at Mary Jane's house.” “Is she the one that's got the woods-colt?” “She's the one that's got the little boy,” replied the woman. “Huh!” said the doctor. “What's he doin' there?” “He's huskin' her corn.” “So he spends his time helpin' the women who have no men folks about, too, does he?” The woman looked up at the doctor. Her face undisturbed by the taunt. “Yes,” she said. “He spends his time helpin' those who have nobody else to help them.”