THE DRAPERY OF VINES 319 



ory-nuts is ripe, and I 've laid in some, along o' 

 walnuts and butternuts, I '11 be livin' partly at the 

 farm for her sake and to back up Eph's words all 

 I can. But there 's no law nor gospel ter forbid 

 me keepin' my cabin here, or from followin' the 

 wood path and the river, and hearin' and seein' 

 what I can't allers give account of. ... 



"How about my picture you was promisin' ter 

 take, ter send out ter A-lois?" he asked, now quite 

 alert, with brightened eyes. 



"I 'm ready to-day, if you will put on your old 

 soft hat and long boots, and bring your rod down 

 to the river where the grapes make a curtain that 

 hides the bank, and the water rushes over the 

 stones. No, don't fix up; come as you are. I 

 want you to look your natural self." 



"Jest as you say. But nateral self ain't what 

 nobody 1 've seen pictered ever looked," said Time 

 o' Year, really laughing out loud, to my astonish- 

 ment, for before that I had only seen him smile 

 silently. 



"There is the place," I said, pointing as we 

 reached the river. "Now wade along as you do 

 when you 're trout -fishing, whipping your line 

 until I call, Stop!" 



As he waded through the eddies and swung his 



