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He brought the medicine glass to the bedside； and； slipping his great hairy hand under the pillow； gently raised the boy's head。
〃I reckon you'd like a brand new saddle when you git up；〃 he remarked in a coaxing voice。
〃I'd rather have a squirrel gun； grandpa； I want to go hunting。〃 Fletcher's face clouded。
〃I'm afraid you'd git shot； sonny。〃
With his lips to the glass； Will paused to haggle over the price of his obedience。
〃But I want it；〃 he insisted； 〃and I want a pack of hounds； too； to chase rabbits。〃
〃Bless my boots！ You ain't going to bring any driveling beasts on the place； air you？〃
〃Yes； I am； grandpa。 I won't swallow this unless you say I may。〃
〃Oh； you hurry up and git well； and then we'll seewe'll see；〃 was Fletcher's answer。 〃Gulp this stuff right down now and turn over。〃
The boy still hesitated。
〃Then I may have the hounds；〃 he said； 〃that new litter of puppies Tom Spade has； and I'll get Christopher Blake to train 'em for me。〃
The pillow shook under his head； and as he opened his mouth to drink； a few drops of the liquid spilled upon the bedclothes。
〃I reckon Zebbadee's a better man for hounds；〃 suggested Fletcher； setting down the glass。
〃Oh； Zebbadee's aren't worth a centthey can't tell a rabbit from a watering…pot。 I want Christopher Blake to train 'em； and I want to see him about it to…day。 Tell him to come； grandpa。〃
〃I can't； sonnyI can't； you git your hounds and we'll find a better man。 Why； thar's Jim Weatherby； he'll do first rate。〃
〃His dogs are setters；〃 fretted Will。 〃I don't want him； I want Christopher Blakehe saved my life； you know。〃
〃So he did； so he did；〃 admitted Fletcher； 〃and he shan't be a loser by that； suh；〃 he added； turning to Carraway。 〃When you go over thar； you can carry my check along for five hundred dollars。〃
The lawyer smiled。 〃Oh； I'll take it；〃 he answered； 〃and I'll very likely bring it back。〃
The boy looked at Carraway。 〃You tell him to come； sir；〃 he pleaded。 His eyes were so like Fletcher'ssmall； sparkling； changing from blue to brownthat the lawyer's glance lingered upon the other's features； seeking some resemblance in them； also。 To his surprise he found absolutely none； the high； blue…veined forehead beneath the chestnut hair； the straight； delicate nose； the sensitive； almost effeminate curve of the mouth； must have descended from the 〃worthless drab〃 whom he had beheld in the severe white light of Fletcher's scorn。 For the first time it occurred to Carraway that the illumination had been too intense。
〃I'll tell him； certainly；〃 he said quietly after a moment； 〃but I don't promise that he'll come； you understand。〃
〃Oh； I won't thank him；〃 cried the boy eagerly。 〃It isn't for that I want himtell him so。 Maria says he hates a fuss。〃
〃I'll deliver your message word for word；〃 responded the lawyer。 〃Not only that； I'll add my own persuasion to it； though I fear I have little influence with your neighbour。〃
〃Tell him I beg him to come；〃 insisted the boy； and the urgent voice remained with Carraway throughout the day。
It was not until the afternoon； however； when he had tossed his farewell handful of rice at the departing carriage and met Maria's last disturbed look at the Hall； that he found time to carry Will's request and Fletcher's check to Christopher Blake。 The girl had shown her single trace of emotion over the boy's pillow； where she had shed a few furtive tears； and the thought of this was with Carraway as he walked meditatively along the red clay road； down the long curves of which he saw the carriage rolling leisurely ahead of him。 As a bride； Maria puzzled him no less than she had done at their first meeting； and the riddle of her personality he felt to be still hopelessly unsolved。 Was it merely repression of manner that annoyed him in her he questioned； or was it； as he had once believed； the simple lack of emotional power？ Her studied speech； her conventional courtesy； seemed to confirm the first impression she had made； then her dark； troubled gaze and the sullen droop of her mouth returned to give the lie to what he could but feel to be a possible misjudgment。 In the end； he concluded wisely enough that； like the most of us； she was probably but plastic matter for the mark of circumstancethat her development would be； after all； according to the events she was called upon to face。 The possibility that Destiny； which is temperament； should have already selected her as one of those who come into their spiritual heritage only through defeat； did not enter into the half…humorous consideration with which he now regarded her。
Turning presently into the sunken road by the ice…pond； he came in a little while to the overgrown fence surrounding the Blake farm。 In the tobacco field beyond the garden he saw Christopher's blue…clad figure rising from a blur of green； and； following the ragged path amid the yarrow； he joined the young man where he stood at work。
As the lawyer reached his side Christopher glanced up indifferently to give a nod of welcome。 His crop had all been cut； and be was now engaged in hanging the wilting plants from long rails supported by forked poles。 At his feet there were little green piles of tobacco； and around him from the sunbaked earth rose a headless army of bruised and bleeding stubble。
So thriftless were the antiquated methods he followed that the lawyer； as he watched him； could barely repress a smile。 Two hundred years ago the same crop was probably raised； cut and cured on the same soil in the same careless and primitive fashion。 Beneath all the seeming indifference to success or failure Carraway discerned something of that blind reliance upon chance which is apt to be the religious expression of a rural and isolated people。
〃Yes； I'll leave it out awhile； I reckon； unless the weather changes；〃 replied Christopher； in answer to the lawyer's inquiry。
〃Well； it promises fair enough；〃 returned Carraway pleasantly。 〃They tell me； by the way； that the yellow； sun…cured leaf is coming into favour in the market。 You don't try that； eh？〃
Christopher shook his head； and； kneeling on the ground； carelessly sorted his pile of plants。 〃I learned to cure it indoors；〃 he answered； and I reckon I'll keep to the old way。 The dark leaf is what the people about here likeit makes the sweeter chew； they think。 As for me； I hate the very smell of it。〃 〃That's odd； and I'll wager you're the only man in the county who neither smokes nor chews。〃 〃Oh； I handle it； you see。 The smell and the stain of it are well soaked in。 I sometimes wonder if all the water in the river of Jordan could wash away the blood of the tobacco worm。〃 With a laugh in which there was more bitterness than mirth； he stretched out his big bronzed hands； and Carraway saw that the nails and finger…tips were dyed bright green。 〃It does leave its mark；〃 observed the lawyer； and felt instantly that the speech was inane。 Christopher went on quietly with his work； gathering up the plants and hanging the slit stalks over the long poles； while the peculiar heavy odour of the freshly cut crop floated unpleasantly about them。 For a time Carraway watched him in silence； his eyes dwelling soberly upon the stalwart fi