yarn;
she faced Fortner, her eyes shining with a less brilliant but intenser
light.

"Jim Fortner," she said with low, measured distinctness, "why don't ye
go on? Is thar somethin' that ye'r afeered ter tell me? What hez hapened
ter our folks? Don't flinch from tellin' me the wust. I'm allers willin'
ter bow ter the will o' the Lord without a murmur. On'y let me know what
hit is."

"Why, Aunt Debby, thar hain't been nothin' happened ter 'em," said
Fortner, deeply surprised. "Thar ain't nothin' ter tell ye 'bout 'em.
They're all safe. They're in Kunnel Garrard's rijimint, ez ye know, an'
hit fit behind breastworks, and didn't lose nobody, scacely--leastwise
none uv our kin."

She rose quickly from her chair. The ball of yarn fell from her lap and
rolled unheeded toward the glowing coals under the forelog. With arm
outstretched, hands clasped, and eyes directed upward in fervent appeal,
there was much to recall that Deborah from whom she took her name--that
prophetess and priestess who, standing under the waving palm trees
of Ball-Tamar, inspired her countrymen to go forth and overthrow and
destroy their Canaanitish oppressors.

"O, God!" she said in low, thrilling tones, "Thou's aforetimes gi'n me
much ter be thankful fur, as well ez much ter dumbly ba'r when Thy rod
smote me fur reasons thet I couldn't understand. Thou knows how gladly
I'd've gi'n not on'y my pore, nigh-spent life, but also those o' my
kinsmen, which I prize much higher, fur sech a vict'ry ez this over the
inimies of Thee an' Thy people. But Thou'st gi'n hit free ez Thy marcy,
without axin' blood sacrifice from any on us. I kin on'y praise Thee an'
Thy goodness all my days."

Fortner rose and listend with bowed head while she spoke. When she
finished he snatched up the ball of shriveling yarn and quenched its
smoking with his hand. Looking fixedly at this he said softly: "Aunt
Debby, honey, I hain't tole ye all yit."

"No, Jim?"

"No," said he, slowly winding up the yarn, "Arter the fouten wuz thru
with at the Gap I slipt down the mounting, an' come in on the r'ar uv
those fellers, an' me an' this ere man drapt two on 'em."

"I kinder 'spected ye would do something uv thet sort."

"Then we tuk a short cut an' overtuk 'em agin, an' we drapt another."

Aunt Debby's eyes expressed surprise at this continued good fortune.

"An' then we tuk 'nuther short cut, an' saved 'nuther one."

Aunt Debby waited for him to continue.

"At last--jess ez