and then all at 
once he saw Bill 
Buzzard bearing 
down upon him 
and at every 
stroke of his 
wings there came 
the solemn jan- 
gle of a bell. 
‘““Darhecomes, 
dar he comes at last,” gasped Pete. “I’s gwine 
to de better lan’-—de better lan’!”’ he whispered. 
He fumbled feebly in his pocket, but his knees 
gave way and in a heap the old man dropped 
between the potato rows and darkness came upon 
him. 
Later 
may have been longer—Pete slowly raised him- 
it may have been half an hour, or it 
self to a sitting posture. 
“How come Is hyar?” he 
queried. ‘Look hyar, nigger, 
ain’t yo’ dead and gone?”’ 
One hand was tightly clenched. 
shane (fon Absently he extended his fingers 
126 
