“And did Tobe stay still behind the corn-crib and not come out to tell Aunt Amandy he was sorry he had ruined her turkey nest?” asked Rose Mary, bent on getting all the facts before offering judgment.

“Yes’m, he did, and now he’s mighty sorry, cause Tobe loves Aunt Amandy as well as being skeered of the devil.  He says if it was Aunt Viney he’d rather the devil would get him right now than tell her, but if you’ll come lend him some of my britches he will come in and tell Aunt Amandy about it.  He’s tooken his off and he has to stay in the corn-crib until I get something for him to put on.”

“Of course I’ll come get some trousers for Tobe and a clean shirt, too, and I know Aunt Amanda will be glad to forgive him.  Tobe is always so nice to her and she’ll be sorry he’s sorry, and then it will be all right, won’t it?” And thus with a woman’s usual shrinking from meeting the question ethical, Rose Mary sought to settle the matter in hand out of court as it were.

“No, Rose Mamie, I ain’t sure about that lie yet,” asserted the General in a somewhat relieved tone of voice, but still a little uneasy about the moral question involved in the case.  “Did I tell it or not?  Do you know, Rose Mamie, or will I have to wait till I go to God to find out?”

“Stonie, I really don’t know,” admitted Rose Mary as she drew the little arguer to her and rested her cheek against the sturdy little shoulder under the patched gingham shirt.  “It was not your business to tell on Tobe but—­but—­please, honey-sweet, let’s leave it to God, now.  He understands, I’m sure, and some day when you have grown a big and wise man you’ll think it all out.  When you do, will you tell Rose Mamie?”

“Yes, I reckon I’ll have to wait till then, and I’ll tell you sure, Rose Mamie, when I do find out.  I won’t never forget it, but I hope maybe Tobe won’t get into no more mess from now till then.  Please come find the britches for me!” And consoled thus against his will the General followed Rose Mary to the house and into their room, eager for the relief and rehabiting of the prisoner.

And in a few minutes the scene of the amende honorable between little Miss Amanda and the small boys was enacted out on the back steps, well out of sight and hearing of Miss Lavinia.  A new bond was instituted between the little old lady, who was tremulous with eagerness to keep the culprit from any form of self-reproach, and Tobe, the unfortunate, who was one of her most ardent admirers at all times.  And it was sealed by a double handful of tea-cakes to both offenders.

After she had watched the boys disappear in the direction of the barn, intent on making a great clean-up job of the disaster under Miss Amanda’s direction, Rose Mary wended her way to the garden for a precious hour of communion with her flowers and vegetable nursery babies.  She had just tucked up her skirts and started in with a light hoe when she espied Uncle Tucker coming slowly up Providence Road from the direction of the north woods.  Something a bit dejected in his step and a slightly greater stoop in his shoulders made her throw down her weapon of war on the weeds and come to lean over the wall to wait for him.