The Red Debt

she breathed

her; and thus, wholly enthralled, she muttered faint exclamations. Orlick's

s thes all yore money? Where did

found them at the end of his short, ingratiating l

undred a month, Belle-Ann; an' I don't drink, an' I 'low t' save my money, I do, 'cose yo' know I 'low

bury her. I air a goin' t' buy a nice house in Louisville an' fill hit up with fancy fixin's, an', talk about fin

d, "how much do y

mining both sides minutely, and laying them in one smooth stack, that she had hea

said he, "hit's fo

cowlick down, which defiant tuft popped i

eply absorbed in handling this dazzling pile of wealth. "Yes-an' a hundred a month com

dded a laugh that grated upon the girl's senses, inspiring her

ab'll cum soon from th' mill,

stood close to her, defeating this move. The mone

d up the bills and laid

her his face had changed to something evil. His features were shot with a dull red

"an' all I make's yo'ren, Belle-Ann; an' I want yo' t' r

ed out on the ground. He stepped quickly in front of her and

keep on a lovin' yo', I air, an' I hain't 'lowin' t' let any man take yo' away from me. I make mo' mone

ere yo' maw wus born, an' all dressed up like I'm lovin' t' dress yo', with a diamond ring, an' a watch, an'

a gal with yore purtiness! They hain't no gal a livin' with curls fixed aroun' a face like yo'ren! Gawd only made one pair o' blue eyes-yo' got 'em! Heah, Belle-Ann, I want yo' t' m

euvered inch by inch toward the cabin. But Orlick had hedged in

lood of crimson indignation; a humiliation that ebbed slowly away before the chill of a

n-don't yo' 'low t' go?"

-bed. In his voice she had s

gathered up the bills in a flurry of haste, stuffing them in a tangled mass into his pocket. When he tu

of torrid appeals, urging her to flee with him. To his o

f the kitchen, he suddenly grasped her wrist and pulled her toward him. With a dexterous turn she put her

heeze of his hot, fierce breat

he leaned outward, and then slowly turned her head and their eyes met; and in that in

deeds had been his running-mates. When a soul has known naught but abasement and evil th

. Orlick was dismayed and crestfallen, and in that m

e ventured a lame apology. With his perfunctory laugh he sudde

t' kiss yo'. I warn't. Ha! ha! ha!-thet's one on yo'-all! Yo' thought I wus a meanin'

s, "I've hearn lots th' folks says, Orlick; but I wus

vehement defense. He sprang forward

t she deftly raised her hands and locked them safely behind her head; a p

I wouldn't darst kiss yo', Belle-Ann, lessen yo' let me. I'd die daid ten

thet I ever knowed a man's name whut'd hurt a

ck's face stopped her words. The mention o

all the rampant, violen

imal-thing that knew naught but the power of its own brute strength. A

he panted. "Air yo' a goin' t' run aw

her heart. Notwithstanding this, she preserved her outwa

See, yore hoss is at th' tro

hifting eyes lighted with the back tid

he cried out in a voice h

addle an' I'll meet yo' a

ked searchingly into her face, the light o

in an' shet th' doo

tossed her mass of curls and regarded

u'-all at th' witch-blo

ly and hurried

e sat serenely, watching his advance. At the ends of a rawhide thong a co

as though a gun was leveled at him. A flash of fury

t blow, Belle-Ann. They hain

ness, and he came on, his twitching features the hu

hing. Orlick did not glance at her, nor did he speak, being strenuously engaged with the horse which, having recovered its spirits, fought the b

e girl, grinning, arrogant, and bombastic. The only sign of his t

said, with mockery in his tone and giving vent t

nge a bit an' jine pap's church thes Sabbath a comin', an' settle down

laugh cut in

ss the sunlit valley, "yo' know where they be. My pap an' my fo' brothers air asleep down yander under

e. Whut fer-'cause I'm a lovin' yo'? Whut fer air yo'-all so stuck up? 'Cose yore beaut

'll be satisfied now-yo'-all run

w where

d away down the steep, rocky trail at a gallop that threatened disaster to both horse and rider. And above the ju

on the advisability of acquainting the old man and Lem with Orli

er own counsel, and, slipping to the gro

she beheld Slab standing in the yard, rigid, and looking at her with a beaming countenance. Slab, always an optimist, ever presented a hopeful face. But at this moment when she noted his presence with the tail of her eye, she glimpsed something so extr

ails yo'-Slab?"

within him. Instantly he began leaping up and down in a most frantic and alarming

I tol' ye so-I

ails y

he answered, keeping tim

gone plum off

eamed face with one gnarled hand, and she noticed that he kept the other hand concealed behind his back. His unique plaudits having subsided, he stood before her. H

love dis ole niggah man, same ez he do good white folks. Belle-Ann-fo' seben nights Slab, he pray jes' ez hard-he pray de good Lo'd fo' wharwithal ter buy some flannel shirts wif. I done pray fo' seben nights, lil'le gal-den las' night, er big ole owl he sot on dat sycamore, an' he call me outen ma sleep-den I snuck down dar by dat wagon-bed, an' I wait, an' when Mr. Owl say 'hoo-ho' I say 'hoo-hoo' back-den when owl say 'hoo-ho' seben times, he goed away-Slab, he know zacly what dat mean-den I loo

n, as he exhibited to the impatient girl a crisp, ne

on the shady side of the house, a knowing smile lingered at the up-turn