But David thought better of it. He would not look in her basket and pry among her treasures without her permission.

“When is she coming back?” he asked, awakened to desire further knowledge of the silent girl’s aspirations.

“Soon, I reckon. She’s been a right smart spell longah now ‘n she ‘lowed she’d be. Hit’s old man Irwin. He’s been hurted some way. She went ovah to see could Aunt Sally Carew go an’ help Miz Irwin keer fer him — she’s a fool thing, don’t know nothin’. They sont down fer me — but here I be, so she rode the colt ovah fer Sally.”

David wrapped and tied the piece of silver as he had found it. As he replaced it in the box, he discovered