“How is it that I can serve you in these serious troubles, my Uncle Robert?” And as I asked that question I made also a vow in my heart against that black crow woman.

“Now that’s what I’m coming to.  The French Government is sending an army expert down here to look over the situation and make the contracts.  I can’t speak their heathenish tongue or read it, and I want somebody whom I can trust—­trust, mind you—­to help me talk with him and make any necessary translations.  That Whitworth hussy has been translating for us and I don’t trust her.  Your letter was handed to me in the Governor’s private office and both he and I saw what a help it would be to have you here when this Frenchie—­who is a Count Something or Other—­and his servants and secretaries, what he calls his suite, arrive.  By George, sir, we need your advice in eating and drinking them!  Do you suppose they’ll have intelligence enough to eat the manna of the gods, which is corn pone, and drink the nectar, which is plain whiskey, or will we be expected to furnish them with snails and absinthe?”

At that I laughed a very large laugh and made this answer to the perturbation of my Uncle, the General Robert: 

“I will tell you after luncheon, my Uncle Robert, because I have not as yet eaten in this Harpeth country of America.”

“All right, we’ll talk about it after you’ve had one of old Kizzie’s fried chicken dinners.  Here we are at the Mansion.  Remember, you know the whole situation and are only supposed to know the part that Governor Bill thinks is the whole.  Look at me, boy!” And as the big car drove up to the curb before a great stone house with tall pillars on guard of its front, he laid both his hands upon my shoulders and turned me towards him with force and no gentleness and then with his keen eyes did he look down into the very soul of me.

“Yes, I see I can trust you, sir.  God bless you, boy!” he said after a very long moment of time.

“Yes, my Uncle Robert,” I answered him without turning my eyes from his.

“Well, then, here we are.  I came to the side door so I wouldn’t have to introduce you to any of the boys this morning, for we want to have a talk with the Governor before dinner and I don’t dare keep Kizzie waiting.  It riles her, and a riled woman burns up things:  masters, husbands, cooking or worse.  Come on.”  And as we walked up the broad side steps of that Mansion of the Gouverneur, my Uncle Robert’s hand was on my arm and I felt that I was being marched up to the mouth of the gun of Fate and I wished very much I could have been habited in my corduroy or cheviot skirts, no matter how short or narrow they might be.  A number of gentlemen sat upon the wide verandah smoking pipes or long cigars under the budding rose vine that trailed from one tall pillar to another, and more stood and talked in groups beside the large front door that opened into the wide hall.  At the back