"Out in the world," she said musingly, "where things are so different from up in your mountains, you may change. It may be you won't want to go back, to the hills--to Plutina."
A flush of wrath burned in Zeke's cheeks, visible in the gloom.
"Hit ain't fittin' fer you-all to say no such thing, Miss Blaise. But I kin fergive ye, kase ye hain't seen our mountings. They hain't no other place more beautiful. Mister Sutton done told me so, an' he's been all over the hull world. An', besides, hit's home. A man what don't love his home country better'n any other--why, mum, he's jest a plain skunk.... An' Plutiny, she's the best part o' home. There hain't no land so beautiful, nor no woman. No, mum, I sha'n't change--never! I kain't!"
And Josephine knew that it was so, and once again she sighed.