said at last. "But we-uns sure be glad yer livin'.
Ye tol' me to come early, so I come."

"It's awfully good of you. Bring a chair and sit near, so we can talk a
bit. Now, Hoke, laid up here as I am, I need your help. I want to send
you to Farington or Lone Pine--somewhere--I don't know where such things
are to be had--but, Hoke, you've been married and know all about what's
needed here."

"Ye want me to git ye a license, I reckon," said Hoke, grinning, "an' ye
mount send me a errant I'd like a heap worse--that's so; but what good
will hit be to ye now? You can't stan' on your feet."

"I can put it under my pillow and keep it to get well on. See here,
Hoke. I don't even know if she'll marry me; she has not said so, but
I'll be ready. You'll keep this quiet for me, Hoke? Because it would
trouble her if the whole mountain side should know what I have done
before she does. Yet a girl like Cassandra is worth winning if you have
to go to the edge of the grave to do it, so whenever she will have me, I
want to be ready."

They talked in low tones, Hoke leaning forward close to David, his
elbows on his knees. "I reckon you are a-thinkin' to bide on here 'long
o' we-uns an' not carry her off nowhar else?" he asked gravely.

David's paleness left him for a moment, as the warm tide swept upward
from his heart. "My home is not in this country, and wherever a man
goes, he expects to take his wife with him. Don't you people here in the
mountains do the same?"

"I reckon so, but hit would nigh about kill Azalie if she war to lose
Cass. They have been frien's evah sence they war littlin's."

"Hoke, if you were to find it necessary to go away anywhere, would you
leave your wife behind to please Cassandra Merlin?" The man was silent,
and David continued. "Before you were married if you had known there was
another man, and a criminal at that, hanging around determined to get
her, wouldn't you have married her out of hand as soon as you could get
her consent? It's my opinion, knowing the sort of man you are, that you
would."

"I sure would."

"Then you can understand why I wish to have a marriage license under my
pillow."

"I reckon so--but--you--you-all hain't quite our kind--not bein' kin to
none of us-- You understand me, suh. We-uns are a proud people here, an'
we think a heap o' our women. Hit would be right hard should you git
sorter tired o' Cassandry when you come to git her amongst your
people--bein' she hain't like