CHAPTER XXI. TIFF'S PREPARATIONS.

hile,Ireckonitis,"saidTiff. "Isitdownunderground?"saidFanny. "Why,no!ho!ho!honey!"saidTiff,laughingheartily."Whatputdatarinyourhead,MissFanny?" "Didn'tmagothatway?"saidFanny,"downthroughtheground?" "Lordy,no,chile!Heaven'sup!"saidTiff,pointinguptotheintenseblueskywhichappearedthroughthefringyhollowsofthepine-treesabovethem. "Isthereanystairsanywhere?oranyladdertogetupby?"saidFanny."Ordotheywalktowheretheskytouchestheground,andgetup?Perhapstheyclimbupontherainbow." "Idon'know,chile,howdeyworksit,"saidUncleTiff."Deygetsdarsomehow.I'sstuddin'upondatar.I'sgwinetocamp-meetingtofindout.I'sbeentoplentyofdemar,andInevercouldquiteseeclar.'Pearslikedeytalksabouteverythingelsemore'ndeydoesaboutdat.Dere'sdeMethodists,deycutsupdePresbyter'ansanddePresbyter'anspitchesintodeMethodistsanddenbothon'em'sdownonde'Piscopals.Myolemist'was'Piscopal,andIneverseednoharmin't.AnddeBaptiststhinkdeyan'tnoneon'emrightand,whiledey'sallablowingoutateachother,datarway,I'sawonderingwhar'sdewaytoCanaan.Ittakesamightyheapo'larningtoknowaboutdeseyerthings,andIan'tgotnolarning.Idon'knownothing,onlydeLord,he'pearedtoyourma,andheknowsdeway,andhetookher.But,now,chile,I'sgwinetofixyouuprightsmart,andtakeyou,Teddy,anddebaby,todisyercamp-meeting,soyoucanseekdeLordinyeryouth." "Tiff,ifyouplease,I'drathernotgo!"saidFanny,inanapprehensivetone. "Oh,bressdeLord,MissFanny,whynot?Fust-ratetimesdere." "There'llbetoomanypeople.Idon'twantthemtoseeus." Thefactwas,thatRose'sslantspeechaboutTiff'smaternalrelationship,unitedwiththesneersofOldHundred,hadtheireffectuponFanny'smind.Naturallyproud,andfearfulofridicule,sheshrankfromthepublicdisplaywhichwouldthusbemadeoftheirfamilyconditionyetshewouldnotfortheworldhavebetrayedtoherkindoldfriendtherealreasonofherhesitation.ButOldTiff'skeeneyehadnoticedtheexpressionofthechild'scountenanceatthetime.Ifanybodysupposesthatthefaithfuloldcreature'sheartwasatallwoundedbytheperception,theyaregreatlymistaken. ToTiffitappearedajokeoftheveryrichestqualityand,asherodealonginsilenceforsometime,heindulgedhimselfinoneofhisquiet,longlaughs,actuallyshakinghisoldsidestillthetearsstreameddownhischeeks. "What'sthematterwithyou,Tiff?"saidFanny. "Oh,MissFanny,Tiffknows!—Tiffknowsdereasonyedon'twanttogotocamp-meeting.Tiff'sseenitinyerface—yeho!ho!ho!MissFanny,isyou'fraiddey'lltakeOldTiffforyermammy?—yeho!ho!ho!—foryermammy?