wenty years, and my wife's never refused to do what
I tell her yet. I don't reckon she'll begin now by refusin' to cook for
me and them that sets at my table."

During this exchange of opinions both men had made their way slowly
across the street and entered the group of men who were gathering about
the schoolhouse door.

Far down in the cool brown shadows within, Selah Adams was standing upon
the teacher's rostrum. She was speaking in low terms which could not be
heard from the door, which had been left open for coolness. Fifty women
sat below her in creaking split-bottom chairs, with faces as rapt and
attentive as if they had been listening to a revival sermon. Some of
them were mature maidens of thirty years; some were young wives who had
reached that stage of feminine dissolution when women cease to curl
their front hair and permit their short back locks to hang down in a
doleful fringe upon the back of their necks. The majority of them,
however, were elderly matrons. Their shoulders had that noble giving
droop which only women show who have reached the sublimity of nurturing
many children at their breasts. They were all moving palmetto fans with
the serene air of fat, ugly old goddesses who had passed out of the
desire of man and had now returned to their own woman's sanity.

"Squire, I don't like them goings on in thar!"

"What you talkin' about?"

"That gal, she looks damn dangerous seditious. I can't hear what she's
sayin', but them women they can, and they look like they was bein'
converted. They got the same expression females always have durin' a
revival, when they've made up their pra'r-meetin' minds to do what the
preacher tells 'em if they burn at the stake for it! I tell you that
gal's got 'em. They'll follow her as if she was a 'pillow' of cloud by
day and of fire by night, leadin' 'em through the Red Sea to the
Promised Land!"

"I'll show you who one of 'em will follow!" exclaimed Deal, advancing to
the door.

His long forked shadow fell across the silent figures in the audience as
he thrust his head in and craned his neck until he caught sight of Mrs.
Deal seated at the far end of the first row.

"Molly!" he called sternly.

The even rhythm of Molly's fan did not change. She did not so much as
turn her head. Her large blue eyes upturned beneath their thick lids
never wavered from Selah's face.

"Molly, come out! I'm waitin' for you!" shouted the Squire in a louder,
unmistakable voice of co