When Hoke came out to them a moment later, Azalea began eagerly to question him, but Cassandra was silent.

“Doctah says we bettah tote ‘im ovah to his own place to-day. Aunt Sally ‘lows she can bide thar fer a while an’ see him well again.”

“You hain’t goin’ to ‘low that, be ye, Hoke? Hit mount look like we wa’n’t willin’ fer him to bide ‘long of us.”

“Hit hain’t what looks like, hit’s what’s best fer him,” said Hoke, sagely. “Whatevah doctah says, we’ll do.” Then Hoke laughed quietly. “He done tol’ Doctor Bartlett ‘at he reckoned somebody mus’ ‘a’ took him fer some sorter wild creetur an’ shot him by mistake. I guess Frale’s