nd watching with maternal pride a kittenish game of hide…and…seek on the front step。 Through the open doorway came the self…complacent cackling of hens； celebrating their latest additions to their nests； and the exultant call of a cock to his feathered harem to come； admire and partake of some especially fat worm； which he had just unearthed。 Farther away speckled Guinea chickens were clamoring their satisfaction at the improvement in the weather。 Still farther； gentle tinklings hinted of peacfully…browsing sheep。
Inside the house； bunches of sweet…smelling medicinal herbs； hanging agains the walls to dry； made the air heavy with their odors。 Aunt Debby was at work near the bright zone of sun…rays； spinning yarn with a 〃big wheel。〃 She held in one hand a long slender roll of carded wool； and in the other a short stick； with which she turned the wheel。 Setting it to whirling with a long sweep of the stick against a spoke； she would walk backward while the roll was twisted out into a long； thin thread； and then walk forward as they yarn was wound upon the spindle。 When she walked backward； the spindle hummed sharply； when she came forward it droned。 There was a stately rhythm in both； to which her footsteps and graceful sway of body kept time； and all blended harmoniously with the camp…meeting melody she was softly singing：
〃Jesus； I my cross have taken； All to leave and follow Thee； Naked； poor； despised； forsaken； Thou from hence my all shalt be。 Perish every fond ambition All I've sought； or hoped； or known； Yet how rich is my condition God and Heaven still my own。〃
A world of memories of a joyous past； unflecked by a single one of the miseries of the present； crowded in upon Harry on the wings of this well…remembered tune。 It was a favorite hymn at the Methodist church in Sardis； and the last time he had heard it was when he had accompanied Rachel to the church to attend services conducted by a noted evangelist。
Ah； Rachel！what of her？
He had not thought of her since a swift recollection of her words at the parting scene on the piazza had come to spur up his faltering resolution； as the regiment advanced up the side of Wildcat。 Now one bitter thought of how useless all that he had gone through with the day before was to rehabilitate himself in her good opinion was speedily chased from his mind by the still bitterer one of the contempt she must feel for him； did she but know of his present abject prostration。
After all； might not the occurrences of yesterday be but the memories of a nightmare？ They seemed too unreal for probability。 Perhaps he was just recovering consciousness after the delirium of a fever。
The walnut sticks in the fireplace popped as sharply as pistols； and he trembled from head to foot。
〃Heavens； I'm a bigger coward than ever；〃 he said bitterly； and turning himself painfully in bed； he fixed his eyes upon the wall。 〃I was led to believe；〃 he continued； 〃that after I had once been under fire； I would cease to dread it。 Now； it seems to me more dreadful than I ever imagined it to be。〃
Aunt Debby's wheel hummed and droned still louder； but her pleasant tones rode on the cadences like an Aeolian harp in a rising wind：
〃Man may trouble and distress me； 'T will but drive me to Thy breast； Life with trials hard may press me； Heaven will bring me sweeter rest。 O； 'tis not in grief to harm me； While Thy love is left to me。 O； 'twere not in joy to charm me； Were that joy unmixed with Thee。〃
He wondered weakly why ther were no monasteries in this land and age； to serve as harbors or refuge for those who shrank from the fearfulness of war。
He turned over again wearily； and Aunt Debby； looking toward him； encountered his wide…open eyes。
〃Yer awake； air ye？〃 she said kindly。 〃Hope I didn't disturb you。 I wuz tryin' ter make ez little noise ez possible。〃
〃No； you didn't rouse me。 It's hard for me to sleep in daylight； even when fatigued； as I am。〃
〃Ef ye want ter git up now；〃 she said； stopping the whell by pressing the stick against a spoke； and laying the 〃roll〃 in her hand upon the wheel…head； 〃I'll hev some breakfast fur ye in a jiffy。 Ye kin rise an' dress while I run down ter the spring arter a fresh bucket o' water。〃
She covered her head with a 〃slat sun…bonnet；〃 which she took from a peg in the wall； lifted a cedar waterpail from a shelf supported by other long pegs； poured its contents into a large cast…iron teakettle swinging over the fire； and whisked out of the door。 Presently the notes of her hymn mingled in plaintive harmony with the sparkling but no sweeter song of a robin redbreast； twittering his delight in the warm sunshine amid the crimson apples of the tree that overhung the spring。
〃Will ye hev a fresh drink？〃 she asked Harry； on her return。
He took the gourdful of clear； cool water； which she offered him； and drank heartily。
〃Thet hez the name o' bein' the best spring in these parts；〃 she said； pleased with his appreciation。
〃An' hit's a never…failin' spring； too。 We've plenty o' water the dryest times； when everybody else's goes dry。〃
〃That IS delicious water；〃 said Harry。
〃An' now I'll git ye yor breakfast in a minnit。 The teakittle's a…bilin'； the coffee's ground； the pone's done； an' when I fry a little ham； everything will be ready。〃
As her culinary methods and utensils differed wholly from anything Harry had ever seen； he studied them with great interest sharpened not a little by a growing appetite for breakfast。
The clumsy iron teakettle swung on a hook at the end of a chain fastened somewhere in the throat of the chimney。 On the rough stones forming the hearth were a half…dozen 〃ovens〃 and 〃skillets〃circular； cast…iron vessels standing on legs； high enough to allow a layer of live coals to be placed beneath them。 They were covered by a lid with a ledge around it； to retain the mass of coals heaped on top。 The cook's scepter was a wooden hook； with which she moved the kettles and ovens and lifted lids； while the restless fire scorched her amrs and face ruddier than cherry。
It was a primitive way； and so wasteful of wood that it required a tree to furnish fuel enough to prepare breakfast； but under the hands of a skillful woman those ovens and skillets turned out viands with a flavor that no modern appliance can equal。
The joists of the house were thickly hung with the small delicious hams of the countryhams made from young and tender hogs； which had lived and fattened upon the acorns； fragrant hickory…nuts and dainty beechnuts of the abundant 〃mast〃 of the forest； until the were saturated with their delicate； nutty flavor。 This was farther enriched by a piquancy gained from the smoke of the burning hickory and oak； with which they were cured； and the absorption of odors from the scented herbs in the rooms where they were drying。 Many have sung the praises of Kentucky's horses； whisy and women； but no poet has tuned his lyre to the more fruitful theme of Kentucky's mast…fed； smoke…cured； herb…scented hams。 For such a man waits a crown of enduring bays。
Slices of this savory ham； fried in a skilletthe truth of history forces the reluctant confession that the march of progress had not yet brought the grid…iron and its virtues to the mountainsa hot pone of golden…yellow meal； whose steaming sweetness had not been allowed to distill off； but had been forced back into the loaf by the hot oven…lid； coffee as black and strong as the virile infusions which cheer the hearts of the true believers in the tents of the Turk； and cream from cows that cropped the odorous and juicy grasses of mountain meadows； made a breakfast that could not have been more appetizing if composed by a French CHEF； and garnished by a polyglot bill…of…fare。
Moved thereto by the hospitable urgings of Aunt Debby； and his own appetite； Harry ate heartily。 Under the influence of the comfortable meal； the cheerful sunshine； and the rousing of the energies that follow a change from a recumbent to an erect posture； his spirits rose to a manlier pitch。 As he could not walk without pain he took his seat in a slat…bottomed chair by the side of the hearth； and Aunt Debby； knitting in hand； occupied a low rocker nearly opposite。
〃Where's Mr。 Fortner？〃 asked Harry。
〃Jim got up； arly； an' arter eatin' a snac said he'd go out an' take a look aroundmebbe he mout go ez fur ez the Ford。〃
As if to accompany Harry's instinctie tremor over the possibilities attending the resumption of Fortner's prowling around the flanks of Zollicoffer's army； the fire shot off a whole volley of sharp little explosions。
Harry sprang two or three inches above his chair； then reddened violently； and essayed to conceal his confusion by assiduous attention with the poker to the wants of the fire。
Aunt Debby regarded him with gentle compassion。
〃Yer all shuck up by the happenin's yesterday；〃 she said with such tactful sympathy that his sensitive mettle was not offended。 〃'Tis nateral ye should be。 Hit's allers so。 Folks kin say what they please； but fouten's terrible tryin' to the narves； no matter who does hit。 My husband wuz in the Mexican War； an' he's offen tole me thet fur weeks arter the battle o' Buner Visty he couldn't heah a twig snap withouten his heart poppin' right up inter his mouth； an' hit wuz so with everybody else； much ez they tried ter play off unconsarned like。〃
〃Ah； really？〃 said Henry； deeply interested in all the concerned this woman； whose remarkable qualities were impressing themselves upon his recognition。 〃What part of the army did your husband belong to？〃
〃He wuz in the Kentucky rigimint commanded by Kunnel Henry Clay； son o' the great Henry Clay； who wuz killed thar。 My husband was promoted to a Leftenant fur his brav'ry in the battle。〃
〃Then this is not your first experience with war？〃
〃No； indeed；〃 said she； with just a trace of pride swelling in the temple's delicate network of blue veins。 〃The Fortners an' the Brills air soljer families； an' ther young men hev shouldered ther guns whenever the country needed fouten…men。 Great gran'fathers Brill an' Fortner come inter the State along with Dan'l boone nigh onter a hundred years ago； and sence then them an' ther descendents hev fit