to Mr. Rufe Jimson as the dividing rail would permit, "What
of him, please?"

He turned again to discharge an accumulation of tobacco juice into a
thick border of violets, and resumed.

"You see a hot-blooded young feller, ez wouldn't take no more 'an give
no odds, stranger or no stranger in the town, he couldn't ixpect civil
treatment; leastways not from Colonel Bill Klayton. Ez I said to
Tozier--"

"Please tell me as quickly as possible what has happened," demanded
Therese with trembling eagerness; steadying herself with both hands on
the railing before her.

"You see it all riz out o' a little altercation 'twixt him and Colonel
Klayton in the colonel's store. Some says he'd ben drinkin'; others
denies it. Howsomever they did hev words risin' out o' the colonel
addressing your nephew under the title o' 'Frenchy'; which most takes
ez a insufficient cause for rilin'."

"He's dead?" gasped Therese, looking at the dispassionate Texan with
horrified eyes.

"Wall, yes," an admission which he seemed not yet willing to leave
unqualified; for he went on "It don't do to alluz speak out open an'
above boards, leastways not thar in Cornstalk. But I'll 'low to you,
it's my opinion the colonel acted hasty. It's true 'nough, the young
feller hed drawed, but ez I said to Tozier, thet's no reason to
persume it was his intention to use his gun."

So Gregoire was dead. She understood it all now. The manner of his
death was plain to her as if she had seen it, out there in some
disorderly settlement. Killed by the hand of a stranger with whom
perhaps the taking of a man's life counted as little as it had once
counted with his victim. This flood of sudden and painful intelligence
staggered her, and leaning against the column she covered her eyes
with both hands, for a while forgetting the presence of the man who
had brought the sad tidings.

But he had never ceased his monotonous unwinding. "Thar hain't no
manner o' doubt, marm," he was saying, "thet he did hev the sympathy
o' the intire community--ez far ez they was free to express
it--barrin' a few. Fur he was a likely young chap, that warn't no two
opinions o' that. Free with his money--alluz ready to set up fur a
friend. Here's a bit o' writin' thet'll larn you more o' the
pertic'lars," drawing a letter from his pocket, "writ by the Catholic
priest, by name of O'Dowd. He 'lowed you mought want proyer meetin's
and sich."

"Masses," corrected Therese, holding out her hand fo