e
punkin and the fodder's in the shock, to quote the Hoosier Theocritus."

And so, to the merry accompaniment of old tunes and mellow rhymes, they
crossed the Connecticut.

CHAPTER THREE

I

With all his outward candor the Governor had, Archie found, reserves
that were quite unaccountable. He let fall allusions to his past in the
most natural fashion, with an incidental air that added to their
plausibility, without ever tearing aside the veil that concealed his
origin or the manner of his fall, if, indeed, a man who so jubilantly
boasted of his crimes and seemed to find an infinite satisfaction and
delight in his turpitude, could be said to have fallen. Having mentioned
Brattleboro as the point at which they were to foregather with Red
Leary, the Governor did not refer to the matter again, but chose routes
and made detours without explanation.

As a matter of fact they swung round Brattleboro and saw only the faint
blue of its smoke from the western side. It was on the second afternoon
out of Cornford that the Governor suddenly bade Archie, whom he
encouraged to drive much of the time, pause at a gate.

"We linger here, son. May I suggest that you take your cue from me? Bill
Walker is an honest dairyman to all intents and purposes, but really an
old crook who got tired of dodging sheriffs and bloodhounds and bought
this farm. A sober, industrious family man, you will find him, with a
wife and one daughter. This is one of the best stations of the
underground railroad; safe as a mother's arms, and you will never
believe you're not the favored guest of a week-end party. Walker's an
old chum of Leary's. They used to cut up in the most reprehensible
fashion out West in old times. You've probably wondered what becomes of
old crooks. Walker is of course an unusual specimen, for he knew when
the quitting was good, and having salted away a nice little fortune
accumulated in express hold-ups, he dwells here in peace and passes the
hat at the meeting house every Sunday. You may be dead sure that only
the aristocracy of our profession have the entree at Walker's. His herd
on the hillside yonder makes a pretty picture of tranquillity. The house
is an old timer, but he's made a comfortable place of it, and the wife
and daughter set a wonderful table. Here's the old boy now."

A gray-bearded man with a pronounced stoop, clad in faded blue overalls,
was waiting for them at the barn.

"Just run the machine right in," h