man--the man on whose account we'd
come to square things now and leave them signed, sealed and delivered.

I thought it was right funny for their hired man to be eating with them,
and him all dressed up just like them. Then I remembered how fresh he'd
always been and how he'd bragged about the pull he had with them people.
And I remembered the talk I'd heard between him and Old Lady Wisner too.
Anyways, there he was setting, big as life; and if they was having any
trouble over anything you couldn't see it. No one was shedding no tears
and there didn't seem to be no war going on.

I felt like I was up in the air. I felt like I'd been dreaming about
something and hadn't woke up. I couldn't figure out what it was I seen.
No one spoke a word.

You must remember that Old Man Wright didn't know yet Bonnie Bell was
anywhere within three thousand miles of him. And when he pulled aside
the curtain there she was, setting right at their table! And right
acrost was a young man setting, too--a young man who he don't know none.

You see, he never had saw that hired man at all, so as to know him. I
hadn't told the old man about Bonnie Bell being there, because I allowed
he'd find it out anyways. Now he had.

It was Bonnie Bell that moved first--for she knew what might happen. She
made one jump for her pa and threw her arms round him--not around his
neck, but down around his arms. She didn't try to kiss him--she didn't
say a word; she was scared. She knowed where he carried his gun--up
under his shoulder. I never knowed whether she found it or not.

"No!" says she, quick; and she locked her hands behind his back so he
couldn't get his arms loose. "No! No; you can't--you shan't! No, no!"
she says. "Dad! Dad!"

Ordinary she would of been no more than a straw to him, he was that
strong. But, you see, he wasn't expecting to see her--and a lot of
things come over him all at once. Here she was, with her arms around him
anyways, no matter what for.

For once Old Man Wright forgot. His hand only kind of went out to hers
where they was, and he says, trembly:

"Bonnie, girl! I didn't know you was here!"

By that time everybody was on their feet. The hired man starts for us,
but I stopped him.

"Not yet," says I. "I'm working for the old boss till midnight tonight.
You stay where you are."

When I said that Old Man Wisner and Old Lady Wisner they just froze
right where they was. But Bonnie Bell didn't. She turns to me now and I
fel