ous life, which consists in fighting the Lord's enemies, suited
Bud's temper and education. It might lead to something better. It was
the best possible to him, now. But I am afraid I shall have to
acknowledge that there was a second motive that moved Bud to this
championship. The good heart of Martha Hawkins having espoused the cause
of the basket-maker, the heart of Bud Means could not help feeling
warmly on the same side. Blessed is that man in whose life the driving
of duty and the drawing of love impel the same way! But why speak of the
driving of duty? For already Bud was learning the better lesson of
serving God for the love of God.

The old basket-maker was the most unpopular man in Flat Creek district.
He had two great vices. He would go to Clifty and have a "spree" once in
three months. And he would tell the truth in a most unscrupulous manner.
A man given to plain speaking was quite as objectionable in Flat Creek
as he would have been in France under the Empire, the Commune, or the
Republic, and almost as objectionable as he would be in any refined
community in America. People who live in glass houses have a horror of
people who throw stones. And the old basket-maker, having no friends,
was a good scape-goat. In driving him off, Pete Jones would get rid of a
dangerous neighbor and divert attention from himself. The immediate
crime of the basket-maker was that he had happened to see too much.

"Mr. Hartsook," said Bud, when they got out into the road, "you'd better
go straight home to the Squire's. Bekase ef this lightnin' strikes a
second time it'll strike awful closte to you. You hadn't better be seen
with us. Which way did you come, Shocky?"

"Why, I tried to come down the holler, but I met Jones right by the big
road, and he sweared at me and said he'd kill me ef I didn't go back and
stay. And so I went back to the house and then slipped out through the
graveyard. You see I was bound to come ef I got skinned. For Mrs
Pearson's, stuck to me and I mean to stick to him, you see."

Bud led Shocky through the graveyard. But when they reached the forest
path from the graveyard he thought that perhaps it was not best to "show
his hand," as he expressed it, too soon.

"Now, Shocky," he said, "do you run ahead and tell the ole man that I
want to see him right off down by the Spring-in-rock. I'll keep closte
behind you, and ef anybody offers to trouble you, do you let off a yell
and I'll be thar in no time."

W