absurdity of it. Why, anybody would, and
she's no more than human."

"I suppose she denounced me," said Lyman.

"Yes, in a way. She had to keep time with her mother. But they are
madder at Henry Bostic than at anyone else. And really, he's the only
one that's guilty. But I don't blame him much. The McElwins have
always made fun of him."

"What are you going to do, Lyman?" the old man asked.

"Nothing. I am satisfied."

"Don't say that, Mr. Lyman," the old woman pleaded. "Don't distress a
proud family."

"Madam," Lyman replied, "I am ready to kneel and beg the pardon of a
heart in distress, but senseless pride doesn't appeal to me. I can
compare families with the McElwins when it comes to that, and putting
my judgment aside, I can be as proud as they are. They have money, but
that is all, and they would be but paupers compared with the really
rich. There are no great names in their family, while from my family
have sprung orators, novelists and poets."

"Good!" Miss Annie cried. "I like to look at you when you talk like
that."

"I'll bet you ain't afraid of nobody," the old man declared. "I never
saw an eye like yourn that was afraid, and a face, nuther. Oh, when it
comes to looks, you are there all right. Well, sir," he added, "the
town's stirred up. Old Ebenezer is all of a titter. Afraid to laugh
out loud, but she's tickled all the same." The old man leaned back
with a chuckle, and in his merriment he slowly clawed at the rim of
gray whiskers that ran around under his chin. "I like to see a town
tickled," he said.

"Never mind, Jasper," his wife spoke up, "your pride may be humbled
one of these days."

"My pride," he laughed. "Why, bless you, I haven't any pride. Cousin
McElwin knocked it all out of me when he said, and right to my face,
that anybody could have arrested the man that choked the sheriff. I
knowed then that something was going to happen to him. Knowed it as
well as I knowed my name."

The old woman's hand shook and her cup rattled in the saucer as she
put it down. "I hope the Lord will forgive you for bein' so
revengeful," she said.

"Don't let that worry you, Tobitha," he replied, rubbing his rim of
gray bristles. "The Lord takes care of his own, and I reckon your
prayers have made me one of the elected."

"One of the elect, father," said Miss Annie.

"All the same," the old man replied. "Why, just look," he added,
glancing through the window--"Just look at the folks out there gazin