Page:Emma Speed Sampson--The shorn lamb.djvu/278

274 a record of the deed among them. At any rate I cannot find it. Of course, it never entered Father's head that there ever would be any trouble about it. The land has been paid for once, but whenever the one hundred years which would mark the expiration of the original lease, is up, I will be willing to pay for it again, if no record of the deed is found in the meantime."

"Yi! Yi! Ol' foxy Bob Taylor done come a beggin' favors from the Bollin's!" squealed Aunt Peachy, sidling into the room. "No, us-all ain't a gwine ter let yer have nothin' er ourn. I'm here ter tell yer my baby ain't a gwine ter listen ter yo' pleadin.' Tell it ter him, my baby, tell it yerse'f! Tell him how he's allus been a holdin' up his haid too high fer us-all on this side er the ribber! Tell him how he done been onneighborlylike ter us, him an' his paw befo' him, an' his grampaw befo' his paw. Tell him how his niggers looks down on yo' niggers an' it air a gonter stop!"

Major Taylor looked at the old negress with a frown.

"Excuse me, Mr. Bolling, but would it be possible for us to have a few moments of uninterrupted conversation?"

His host grinned a rather sickly grin.