his part o' the house, Timothy 'n' I can
live in the L, as you've allers intended I should if I got married. And
I guess this is 'bout as near to gittin' married as either of us ever
'll git now, 'n' consid'able nearer 'n I've expected to git, lately. And
I'll tell Timothy this very night, when he goes to bed, for he's
grievin' himself into a fit o' sickness, as anybody can tell that's got
a glass eye in their heads!"

SCENE XIV.

_A Point of Honor._

TIMOTHY JESSUP RUNS AWAY A SECOND TIME, AND, LIKE OTHER BLESSINGS,
BRIGHTENS AS HE TAKES HIS FLIGHT.

It was almost dusk, and Jabe Slocum was struggling with the nightly
problem of getting the cow from the pasture without any expenditure of
personal effort. Timothy was nowhere to be found, or he would go and be
glad to do the trifling service for his kind friend without other
remuneration than a cordial "Thank you." Failing Timothy there was
always Billy Pennell, who would not go for a "Thank you," being a boy of
a sordid and miserly manner of thought, but who would go for a cent and
chalk the cent up, which made it a more reasonable charge than would
appear to the casual observer. So Jabe lighted his corn-cob pipe, and
extended himself under a willow-tree beside the pond, singing in a
cheerful fashion,--

"'Tremblin' sinner, calm your fears!
Jesus is always ready.
Cease your sin and dry your tears,
Jesus is always ready!'"

"And dretful lucky for you He is!" muttered Samantha, who had come to
look for Timothy. "Jabe! Jabe! Has Timothy gone for the cow?"

"Dunno. Jest what I was goin' to ask you when I got roun' to it."

"Well, how are you goin' to find out?"

"Find out by seein' the cow if he hez gone, an' by not seein' no cow if
he hain't. I'm comf'table either way it turns out. One o' them writin'
fellers that was up here summerin' said, 'They also serve who'd ruther
stan' 'n' wait' 'd be a good motto for me, 'n' he's about right when
I've ben hayin'. Look down there at the shiners, ain't they cool? Gorry!
I wish I was a fish!"

"If you was you wouldn't wear your fins out, that's certain!"

"Come now, Samanthy, don't be hard on a feller after his day's work.
Want me to git up 'n' blow the horn for the boy?"

"No, thank you," answered Samantha cuttingly. "I wouldn't ask you to
spend your precious breath for fear you'd be too lazy to draw it in
agin. When I want to get anything done I can gen'ally spunk up sprawl
enough to do it myself, th