for all that
he suffered. Indeed, that visit, and the recollection of Ralph's saying
that Jesus Christ was a sort of a Flat Creeker himself, were manna in
the wilderness to Bud.

Poor Shocky was sick. The excitement had been too much for him, and
though his fever was very slight it was enough to produce just a little
delirium. Either Ralph or Miss Martha was generally at the cabin.

"They're coming," said Shocky to Ralph, "they're coming. Pete Jones is
a-going to bind me out for a hundred years. I wish Hanner would hold me
so's he couldn't. God's forgot all about us here in Flat Creek, and
there's nobody to help it."

And he shivered at every sudden sound. He was never free from this
delirious fright except when the master held him tight in his arms. He
staggered around the floor, the very shadow of Shocky, and was so
terrified by the approach of darkness that Ralph staid in the cabin on
Wednesday night and Miss Hawkins staid on Thursday night. On Friday, Bud
sent a note to Ralph, askin him to come and see him.

"You see, Mr. Hartsook, I ha'n't forgot what was said about puttin' in
our best licks for Jesus Christ. I've been a-trying to read some about
him while I set here. And I read where he said somethin about doing fer
the least of his brethren being as the same like as if it was done fer
Jesus Christ his-self. Now there's Shocky. I reckon, p'r'aps, as anybody
is a little brother of Jesus Christ, it is that Shocky. Pete Jones and
his brother Bill is determined to have him back there to-morry. Bekase
you see, Pete's one of the County Commissioners and to-morry's the day
that they bind out. He wants to bind out that boy jes' to spite ole
Pearson and you and me. You see, the ole woman's been helped by the
neighbors, and he'll claim Shocky to be a pauper, and they a'n't no
human soul here as dares to do a thing con_tra_ry to Pete. Couldn't you
git him over to Lewisburg? I'll lend you my roan colt."

Ralph thought a minute. He dared not take Shocky to the uncle's where he
found his only home. But there was Miss Nancy Sawyer, the old maid who
was everybody's blessing. He could ask her to keep him. And, at any
rate, he would save Shocky somehow.

As he went out in the dusk, he met Hannah in the lane.

CHAPTER XIX.

FACE TO FACE.

In the lane, in the dark, under the shadow of the barn, Ralph met Hannah
carrying her bucket of milk (they have no pails in Indiana)[23]. He
could see only the white foam on the