Quickly he turned toward Rose
Mary with almost a startled glance and found in her eyes the fact that
she had been faring forth over Harpeth Valley on the wings of Uncle
Tucker's supplication as had he. The wonder of it rose in his eyes,
which were about to lay bare to her depths never before stirred, when
a fervent "Amen! I beat you that time, Tobe!" fairly exploded at his
ear as the General took the final word out of Uncle Tucker's very
mouth in rival to his worshipping opponent.
"I said it first, but it got blowed into Miss Ro' Mary's sleeve,"
avowed Tobe with a flaunt at his competitor.
"If nobody he'r'n it, it don't count," decided the General with
emphasis. And in friendly dispute he escorted his rival down the front
walk, while Uncle Tucker, as was his custom, busied himself
straightening hymn-book and Bible, so leaving the family altar in
readiness for the beginning of a new day. And thus the primitive
ceremonial, the dread of which had kept Everett late in bed every
morning for a month, had resolved itself into what seemed to him but
the embrace of a tender, whimsical brotherhood in which the old mystic
both assumed and accounted for a stewardship in behalf of the others
assembled under his roof-tree.
But in the eyes of Miss Lavinia all forms of service were the
marshalling of the hosts in battle array and at all times she was
enlisted in the ranks of the church militant, and upon this occasion
she bore down upon Everett with banners unfurled.
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