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He was startled out of his trance "Oh Hi, Katie" "Why don'tcha go talk to Vannah? Maybe she'd like to go to the shearin' dance next week" "But your mama?"

"She ain't so strict no o if anted to My daddy don't like the Fourth o' July none, but the shearin' dance ht"

He grinned "Really? Thanks, Katie, I'll do that" Without a backward glance, he raced over to Savannah She looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun Katie yanked up her skirts and ran across the dirt road, skidding beside Savannah just as Jeffie was finishing his question " Do you think she'd let you go?" Savannah blushed and stared down at the cornbread in her hands "I think she ht"

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"Great! Well" Jeffie looked as if he was trying to think of so else to say

Tired of the silence, Katie butted in "Ain't you two gonna talk or somethin'?"

"Hey, Jeffie!" yelled Harvey Hannah "You gonna play

ball or not?"

Jeffie looked relieved "I gotta go 'B-Bye!"

'"Bye, Jeffie," Savannah said without looking up

He flashed Katie a grin and htailed it back to the group of boys

Katie took a bite of cornbread and chewed thoughtfully, staring at her sister's still pink cheeks "You know, Vannah, you act sort o'fool-headed around Jeffie"

Savannah sighed "I know But Ma with me She says it's normal"

Katie thought about that for a minute "Yeah, Jeffie acts

just as stupid around you"