Tutt fully ree'lizes his sooperiority, an' in no wise
conceals the same. It comes as easy to Tutt as suckin' aiggs, he
havin' had plenty of practice. Ever since little Enright Peets is
born Tutt has conducted himse'f in a downhill manner towards all of
us, an' been allowed to do so; as why not? This manner has become so
much a part of Tutt that even after Texas inherits Annalinda an' sets
up house for himse'f, while it makes the rest of us look up to him
some, it don't he'p him none with Tutt. Tutt's too thoroughly aware of
the difference between bein' a father an' bein' a uncle. Likewise, he
lets Texas see it at every twist in the trail.

"That time Nell takes to pa'rin' off little Enright Peets an'
Annalinda, an' in a sperit of lightness speaks of how mebby some day
they'll wed, she springs the notion on Texas, as stated, an' asks him
what he thinks. Texas, who always has to have time to make up his mind
about anything with Annalinda in it, is onable to say, first dash out
of the box, whether he feels tickled or sore. He grows plenty solemn,
as I mentions, grunts mighty elevated an' austere, an' mumbles about
some things bein' a long shot an' a limb in the way, an' the wisdom of
not crossin' a bridge till you gets to it.

"Ten minutes later, while he's still got Annalinda an' little Enright
Peets on the skyline of his regyard, Texas comes upon Tutt, who's
talkin' pol'tics to Armstrong. Armstrong has tossed off a few
weak-minded opinions about a deefensive an' offensive deal with
Russia, an' Tutt's ag'in it as solid as a sod house.

"'Yes, sir,' Tutt's saying; 'I'm ag'in any sech low alliance. I'd be
ashamed to call myse'f a white man an' consent to sech open-eyed
disgrace.'

"Texas turns white. It's among his deefects that he can't escape the
feelin' that the whole world is always thinkin' an' talkin' about
whatever he himse'f is thinkin' an' talkin' about. Overhearin' what
Tutt says, he concloodes that Tutt's declarin' his sent'ments as to
little Enright Peets marryin' Annalinda, an' is out to reeject all
sech alliances as a disgrace to the Tutts. An' Texas foomes. To be eat
up by Tutt's sooperior station as a shore father is bad enough! An'
now yere's Tutt, aggravatin' injury with insult! Which it's too much!

"'Draw your weepon, Dave,' calls out Texas, bringin' his own gun to
the front. 'Your bein' a father don't overawe me none, you bet!
Likewise, if you're a Tutt I'm a Thompson, an' I've stood about all
I'