better the day you-uns took hit off. I told her yas, he’d ‘a’ come cl’ar through to the nex’ world, like Farwell done. When the misery left him, he up an’ died, an’ Lord knows whar he went.”

“I’ll get him an artificial foot as soon as he is able to wear one. He’ll get on very well with a peg under his knee until then. What’s Hoyle doing with the mule?”

“He’s rid’n’ him fer Cass. She’s tryin’ to get the ground ready fer a crap. Hit’s all we can do. Our women nevah war used to do such work neither, but she would try.”

“What’s that? Is she ploughing?” he asked sharply, and strode away.