ed by it. I told one black lie, an' it was the blackest one ever
told, I reckon. It brought me my money an' my wife; an' my load of
shame an' sin an' contempt--it lost me the best friend I ever had, an'
it led to my losin' my wife for most o' my journey. All my life I've
tried to live down that lie an' to fill every man I met with a
reverence for the truth, an' that's what makes me so blame ashamed of
the way I've treated Dick. I ought to have seen quicker'n anybody else
the kind of a fight he was a-makin', an' pitched in an' helped him
instead of findin' him guilty, on the first suspicion, an' tryin' to
make his life as sour as mine has been. But"--here Jabez put his arm
about Barbie's shoulder, an' looked down on her a moment--"it was all
on account o' this little girl."

Then we all gave a cheer an' Friar Tuck tied the knot, after which
every one opened the sluice-gates o' their hearts an' let the
sociability gush forth in a torrent. I stuck around until the dancin'
began, an' then I flopped myself on a hoss an' rode, an' rode, an'
rode. The air was cool an' crisp as it swept over my face; but it was a
long time before it took the fever out of my blood. Finally I circled
back to of Monody's grave an' got off an' sat there till the sun came
up, fresh an' strong. Ol' Monody had taken the burden 'at had been
handed to him, an' had borne it along to a mighty fire finish; an' it
made me ashamed of myself, so I got to my feet, gave myself a shake,
an' rode back to the ranch house.

CHAPTER THIRTY

THE AFTERGLOW

I didn't look for anybody to be about that early after the night that
outfit had put in; but just before I reached the corral I saw Barbie
an' Jim ridin' slowly toward the stable. They was ridin' close together
an' lookin' into each other's eyes, an' I'm glad to say that even that
soon I felt nothin' but joy in the sight. A little farther on I spied
Jabez an' his wife standin' on a knoll, lookin' at the sunshine, an'
before I reached the house I saw two others swingin' up the trail on a
lope. In a minute I made out Bill Hammersly an' Jessamie. For just one
second I did feel a little bit out o' the world; but by the time they
rode up I was able to welcome 'em with a joke.

"We lost our way," sez Bill. "Is it too late?"

"It's never too late," sez I. "But I'm right down sorry that you didn't
arrive last evenin'. We had about as stirrin' a weddin' here as ever
you see."

"Who was it that Barbie marrie