nd crunched the gravel under his feet as he strode around the house,
that he would surely do something when he found himself face to face
with the object of his wrath.

The first thing that attracted the visitor's attention was a very broad
back covered by a clean white shirt (Bud detested "boiled" shirts, for
he had never had one of his own), and when the owner of that back
straightened up and turned toward him, Bud was confronted by a man who
stood six feet four without his boots, and was built in proportion. He
had tucked up his sleeves to keep them from being soiled, and the white
forearms thus exposed were as muscular as a blacksmith's. He had been
waiting for this visit, for his boy Sam, who came from town a quarter of
an hour before, had told him just what happened in the store, and warned
his master that Bud had said in his speech that he was on the war-path,
and meant to drive every abolitionist out of the country before he quit.
But for all that the minister greeted Bud pleasantly.

"Well, neighbor Goble, what do you find to shoot this time of year?"
said he. "It is rather early for young squirrels, and turkey and deer
will not be on the game list before September."

"I aint a-lookin' for little game," answered Bud gruffly. "I'm huntin'
for babolitionists, an' you're one of 'em."

"Well, now that you have found me what do you purpose doing about it?"
inquired the stalwart minister, smiling at Bud in a way the latter did
not like. Perhaps it wasn't going to be so easy, after all, to frighten
him into handing over a ham or a side of meat.

"I came here pur_pose_ly to tell you that you an' your kind aint wanted
round yer no longer," said Bud. "You take babolition papers an' give 'em
to old Toby to read."

"Can you prove that assertion?"

"Yes, I can. I seen one of 'em in his shanty last night, an' had it into
my hand."

"But can you prove that I gave it to him?"

"Yes, I can," repeated End, growing bolder by degrees. "Everybody in
town says it's you who spreads them papers around, kase there's no one
else who is low enough down to 'sociate with niggers."

"That will do. I have heard enough of such talk."

"But I aint got half through," protested Bud. "One man told me, not
more'n half an hour ago, that if he could prove it was you who give Toby
them papers, he would have you licked before sun-up."

"Ah! And what would _I_ do?"

"What would you do?" echoed Bud, who did not quite catch the minister's