ich, with a piece of
paper, were placed under the mule and set fire to. Then an instant
later, when the mule started trotting amiably off toward Pennyroyal,
Miner's heart began singing its own peculiar anthem of thankfulness, and
immediately afterward he hurried off for a visit to Emily at the log
cabin.

On coming back to the shop so changed was his expression and so cleared
his look of doubt that Ambrose, feeling sure Emily had just accepted
him, wished to God Miner would confide in him and so let his darkest
hour be lived through.

But Miner said nothing then. However, when his regular hour came around
once more he appeared taking his accustomed chair next his friend's
under the apple tree in his yard. And yet here Miner still continued
mute, although moving about far more restlessly than usual, while
Ambrose, patiently waiting for him to speak, felt the sharpness of his
earlier desire succeeded by a kind of apathy. Finally at some little
distance off a clock in a church tower struck eight.

"My foot itches to-night, Ambrose," Miner announced suddenly.

"Shake it," advised his listener, whose mind was certainly on a far
different line of thought.

But Miner, only squirming and twisting about the more, complained:

"Seems like it's one of them things that can't be shook off. I was just
a-thinkin' it might be better to go for a walk than to sit here so
eternal."

And here Ambrose, feeling that the little man would never get out his
confession to-night, sighed: "Suit yourself, ef you like walking better.
I reckon I kin make out the rest of the evening alone."

Nevertheless, Miner did not stir. Instead, taking another bite at a
fresh plug of tobacco, he chewed on it fiercely for a moment longer. "I
was aimin' for you to come with me," he said, "bein's as you know I
ain't able to git on too well with this lame leg."

The soft summer night stirred in Ambrose no inclination for movement,
and indeed far rather would he have been alone and undisturbed, yet now
getting up slowly, lifting his great height in sections, he offered his
arm to his friend.

Then the two men started off together, walking far more rapidly than
usual on a summer night's stroll, for Miner seemed to have forgotten his
lameness, and the fury of his spirit rushed them both ahead. Every now
and then, furtively, he kept feeling in his back pocket, but the tall
man did not notice him nor was he for some time aware in what direction
he was being l