me that you are pretty keen, especially as there is an
officer right behind you. Say, you seem to blame me for the interest I
am taking in this affair. Have you stopped to think of the interest you
are taking in it? Jucklin's no relation of yours and probably never will
be. Did you hear what I said? Probably never will be."

"Unfortunately I haven't an apple tree sprout with me to-day, Mr.
Etheredge."

"And it's a good thing for you that you haven't. Do you reckon I'd let
you lash at me while so many people are riding along the road?"

"I don't suppose you would let me do so at any time if you could help
yourself."

"Oh, I don't know. Might let you amuse yourself if there were no one in
sight. But I've got nothing against you, young man. I've lived long
enough to forgive an over-grown boy's impulses."

He could not have cut me deeper; and his sleepy old eyes saw the blood
and he laughed. "Got under your hide a little that time, eh? We've all
got a thin place somewhere in our skin, you know. You needn't look back;
the officer is right behind us."

"I wish he were not in sight," I replied.

"You don't like him, eh? Why, I always thought, he was a pretty good
fellow. But, of course, I am willing to accept your judgment of him. But
if you don't like him why do you wait for him to come up?"

"I am waiting for you to go on, sir," I replied. "And if you don't I
will knock you off that horse."

"Very well. I see a man on ahead who is doubtless better company. I
trust, though, that I shall have the pleasure of a closer association
with you at some future time. Good-morning."

I waited until Parker came up. "Did you get enough of him?" he asked,
laughing. "I knew you would--nearly everybody does. Under the
circumstances it was an insult for him to offer to ride with you."

"And he and I will have a trouble as soon as this one is settled," I
replied.

"Oh, I reckon not. I don't see why any man of sense should want to have
trouble with you. Just look how they are flocking to town. Hope they'll
turn out this way and vote for me at the next election for sheriff.
Women, too. See them coming out of that gate?"

When we rode into the town the streets were thronged and horsemen,
wagons and buggies were thick on the public square. The ginger cake and
cider vender was there, with his stand near the court-house steps, and
the neigh of the colt and the distressful answer of his mother, tied to
the rack, echoed throughout the