Again the child sighed contentedly.

   "I wish ye was goin' ter stay always," she remarked. "You folks is a sight nicer'n that Joselyn tribe. They kep' us stirred up a good deal till Ned—"

   She stopped abruptly.

   "What were the Joselyns like?" inquired Mary Louise, in a casual tone that was meant to mask her curiosity.

   "Well, that's hard to say," answered Ingua thoughtfully. "Ol' Mis' Kenton were a good lady, an' ev'rybody liked her; but after she died Ann Kenton come down here with a new husban', who were Ned Joselyn, an' then things began to happen. Ned was slick as a ban'box an' wouldn't hobnob with nobody, at first; but one day he got acquainted with Ol' Swallertail an' they made up somethin' wonderful. I guess other folks didn't know 'bout their bein' so close, fer they was sly 'bout it, gen'rally. They'd meet in this summer-house, or they'd meet at our house, crossin' the river on the steppin'-stones; but when Ned came over to us Gran'dad allus sent me away an' said he'd skin me if I listened. But one day—No, I mus'n't tell that," she said, checking herself quickly, as a hard look came over her face.

   "Why not?" softly asked Mary Louise.

   "'Cause if I do I'll git killed, that's why," answered the child, in a tone of conviction.

   Something in her manner startled her hearer.

   "Who would kill you, Ingua?" she asked.

   "Gran'dad would."

   "Oh, I'm sure he wouldn't do that, whatever you said."

   "Ye don't know Gran'dad, Mary Louise. He'd as lief kill me as look at me, if I give him cause to."

   "And he has asked you not to talk about Mr. Joselyn?"

   "He tol' me ter keep my mouth shet or he'd murder me an' stick my body in a hole in the yard. An' he'd do it in a minute, ye kin bank on that."

   "Then," said Mary Louise, looking troubled, "I advise you not to say anything he has forbidden you to. And, if anything ever happens to you 

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