re.'

"I didn't know jest what to say, an' she spoke agin:

"'I want to tell you, Dave,' she says, 'that you've ben good an' kind to
me.'

"'I've tried to,' I says, 'an' Lizy,' I says, 'I'll never fergive myself
about that bunnit, long 's I live.'

"'That hadn't really nothin' to do with it,' she says, 'an' you meant
all right, though,' she says, almost in a whisper, an' the' came across
her face, not a smile exac'ly, but somethin' like a little riffle on a
piece o' still water, 'that bunnit _was_ enough to kill most
_any_body.'"

CHAPTER XL.

John leaned out of the buggy and looked back along the road, as if
deeply interested in observing something which had attracted his
attention, and David's face worked oddly for a moment.

Turning south in the direction of the village, they began the descent of
a steep hill, and Mr. Harum, careful of loose stones, gave all his
attention to his driving. Our friend, respecting his vigilance, forebore
to say anything which might distract his attention until they reached
level ground, and then, "You never married again?" he queried.

"No," was, the reply. "My matrymonial experience was 'brief an' to the
p'int,' as the sayin' is."

"And yet," urged John, "you were a young man, and I should have
supposed----"

"Wa'al," said David, breaking in and emitting his chuckling laugh, "I
allow 't mebbe I sometimes thought on't, an' once, about ten year after
what I ben tellin' ye, I putty much made up my mind to try another
hitch-up. The' was a woman that I seen quite a good deal of, an' liked
putty well, an' I had some grounds fer thinkin' 't she wouldn't show me
the door if I was to ask her. In fact, I made up my mind I would take
the chances, an' one night I put on my best bib an' tucker an' started
fer her house. I had to go 'cross the town to where she lived, an' the
farther I walked the fiercer I got--havin' made up my mind--so 't putty
soon I was travelin' 's if I was 'fraid some other feller'd git there
'head o' me. Wa'al, it was Sat'day night, an' the stores was all open,
an' the streets was full o' people, an' I had to pull up in the crowd a
little, an' I don't know how it happened in pertic'ler, but fust thing I
knew I run slap into a woman with a ban'box, an' when I looked 'round,
there was a mil'nery store in full blast an' winders full o' bunnits.
Wa'al, sir, do you know what I done? Ye don't. Wa'al, the' was a hoss
car passin' that run three mile out in the cou