uss! You say a life fer a
life in this worl'; the rider says hit's in the next, 'n' I'm mis'ble,
Uncl' Gabe. Ef Rome--I wish Rome was hyeh," he cried, helplessly. "I
don't know whut to do."

The miller rose and limped within the mill, and ran one hand through
the shifting corn. He stood in the doorway, looking long and perplexedly
towards Hazlan; he finally saw, he thought, just what the lad's trouble
was. He could give him some comfort, and he got his chair and dragged it
out to the door across the platform, and sat down in silence.

"Isom," he said at last, "the Spent air shorely a-workin' ye, 'n' I'm
glad of it. But ye mus 'n t worry about the penalty a-fallin' on Rome.
Steve Marcum killed Jass--he can't fool me--'n' I've told Steve he's got
thet penalty to pay ef he gits up this trouble. I'm glad the Spent's
a-workin' ye, but ye mus'n' t worry 'bout Rome."

Isom rose suddenly on one elbow, and with a moan lay back and crossed
his arms over his face.

Old Gabe turned and left him.

"Git up, Isom." It was the miller's voice again, an hour later. "You
better go home now. Ride the hoss, boy," he and, kindly.

Isom rose, and old Gabe helped him mount, and stood at the door. The
horse started, but the boy pulled him to a standstill again.

"I want to ax ye jes one thing more, Uncl' Gabe," he said, slowly.
"S'posin' Steve had a-killed Jass to keep him from killin' Rome, hev he
got to be damned fer it jes the same? Hev he got to give up eternal life
anyways? Hain't thar no way out'n it--no way?"

There was need for close distinction now and the miller was deliberate.

"Ef Steve shot Jass," he said, "jes to save Rome's life--he had the right
to shoot him. Thar hain't no doubt 'bout that. The law says so.
But"--there was a judicial pause--"I've heerd Steve say that he hated Jass
wuss' n anybody on earth, 'cept old Brayton; 'n' ef he wus glad o' the
chance o' killin' him, why--the Lord air merciful, Isom; the Bible air
true, 'n' hit says an 'eye fer an eye, a tooth fer a tooth,' 'n' I never
knowed hit to fail--but the Lord air merciful. Ef Steve would only jes
repent, 'n' ef, 'stid o' fightin' the Lord by takin' human life, he'd
fight fer Him by savin' it, I reckon the Lord would fergive him. Fer
ef ye lose yer life fer Him, He do say you'll find it agin
somewhar--sometime."

Old Gabe did not see the sullen despair that came into the boy's tense
face. The subtlety of the answer had taken the old man back to the days