me as I sat down, waiting for me to speak and yet
afraid to hear me.

"What is it, please? But don't tell me anything bad--I don't want to
hear anything bad."

"But you must hear this. Alf--Alf has had a quarrel with Dan Stuart. It
was worse than a quarrel, and has----"

"Killed him?" she said, gazing at me. "Don't tell me anything."

She sat down beside me and hid her face. "Alf has gone to town to give
himself up, and we must tell your father and mother. It wasn't
murder--it was self-defence. You go and tell your mother, tell her as
quietly as you can. I see your father out yonder. I will tell him. Tell
her that they got into a quarrel last night."

She went away without looking back at me, without letting me see her
face, and as I passed the corner of the house I heard her talking and
before I reached the old man I heard a cry from that poor old woman.

Old Lim was at the door of his "stockade," oiling the lock. "Devilish
thing don't work well," he said. "A padlock is generally the best lock
or the worst; you never can tell which. If I could jest git a drap of
the grease into the key-hole I'd soon fix it. But it won't go in, you
see. By jings, the devil has his own way about half the time, and his
influence is mighty powerful the other half. Now, we're gittin' at it. I
reckon we'd better go on to breakfast, though. I almost forgot that you
had to go to your school. Why, man, what the deuce is the matter with
you this mornin'?"

He dropped the chain to which the lock was fastened and looked steadily
at me. "What's gone wrong, man?"

"I'm not going to school to-day," I answered, endeavoring to be calm.

"What's the matter? House burnt down again?"

"Worse than that, Mr. Jucklin. Alf----"

"What about him?" he broke in, nervously grabbing the chain.

"Did you know that he was in love with Millie Lundsford?" I asked, now
determined to be calm.

"Well, what of it? Young folks are in and out of love with each other
mighty nigh every day in this neighborhood. Is that Susan callin' me? Be
there in a minute!" he shouted. "Hasn't had a row with the old General,
has he?"

"No, but with Dan Stuart. They quarreled last night and fought and Dan
was killed."

His shoulders drooped; he spoke not, but he jerked the chain, the gate
flew open and he stepped inside and shut it with a slam; and I heard him
fumbling with the fastening that held the door of the coop. I strode
away as fast as I could, went to the school-h