wers with attention
hardened again, Kinnard braced himself and forced a satirical smile.

"This man aimed ter git Jerry Henderson from ther fust day he come
hyar--not because ther stranger sought ter feel ther way fer ther
railroad, but because he dared ter talk fer enlightenment: for schools
whar yore children could grow inter straight manhood, an' roads thet
could take yore crops and timber ter market. Sich open speech didn't
suit Kinnard, hyar, because when folks has knowledge they ceases ter be
victims ter his greed and cunnin'.

"Jerry Henderson spoke out his belief an' he was marked down by Kinnard
Towers fer death. He's a-dyin' now."

A low and dangerous murmur ran over the crowd, but Bear Cat Stacy
stilled it with his raised hands.

"I believes thet Kinnard connived with ther Judas revenuer to jail my
paw expressly ter cl'ar ther road fer this murder. Ef thet's true he
didn't jest attack a furriner, but he affronted every Stacy an' busted
ther truce ter boot! Till I kin prove what I suspicions, I aims ter
hold my hand; but I stud in Brother Fulkerson's house last night amids
ther ashes of sorrow an' I've done dedicated what's left of my life ter
one aim.

"I don't know whether I'll hev holp or go single-handed, but as
Almighty God hears me, I aims ter clean up these hills! I aims thet
'stid of grumblin' like old grannies because our fields air littered
with rock an' our roads air all dirt, we shell take ther rock outen
ther fields an' put hit on ther roads. I aims thet every child thet
hankers fer enough larnin' ter raise himself above ther level of beasts
shell hev a school whar he kin git hit. I aims thet when yore baby
falls sick or thar's a bornin' at yore house, ther doctor kin git
thar--in time!"

He paused, and his audience, swept by the abandon of his extemporaneous
fervor, fell into an excited approval. The magic of inherent strength
and sheer personality was at work upon them.

"Before sich things es them kin be brought ter pass," began the speaker
again in a voice dropping suddenly to stern calm, "ther wrath of
numerous folks will flare up ter murder-hate--because thar's a
stumblin' block in ther path thet's ancient an' thet hes got ter be
man-powered loose. Betwixt us an' betterment stands ther thing thet all
our troubles springs from--an' though hit don't profit but one man in
every score, yit thar be some amongst ye thet'll die fer hit!"

He stopped and looked down into faces puzzled and