nt and
rang echoing against the chinked timbers of the walls.

"I've done suffered grievously enough already by trustin' ter infamy.
From now on I'll watch them enemies thet's nighest me fust--an' them
thet's further off atterwards. My God A'mighty, ef ye warn't my own
blood kin, I couldn't hardly suffer ye ter tarry under my roof atter
ye'd give voice ter sich a proffer!"

Araminta Gregory had listened from the kitchen door but now she swept to
her husband's side and turned upon her visitor the wrath of blazing eyes
and a heaving bosom.

"We hain't askin' no odds of nobody," she flared in a panting transport
of fury. "Asa kin safeguard his own so long es he hain't misled with
lyin' an' false pledges."

"Don't fret yoreself none, Araminty," said the man, reassuring her with
a brusque but not ungentle hand on her trembling arm. Then he turned
with regained composure to Saul, as he inquired: "Does ther Carrs
proffer ter drap tha'r hell-bent detarmination ter penitenshery me or
hang met?"

Somewhat dubiously Fulton shook his head in negation.

"I reckon they 'low ye'd only mistrust 'em ef they proffered _thet_. All
they proposes is thet ontil this election's over an' sottled--not jest
at ther polls, but sottled fer good an' all--thar won't be no hand
raised erginst you ner yourn. I reckon ye kin bide yore time thet long,
an' when this racket's over ye'll be plum free ter settle yore own
scores." He paused, then added insinuatingly, "Every week a trial's put
off hit gits harder fer ther prosecution. Witnesses gits scattered like
an' men kinderly disremembers things."

Asa Gregory, confronted with a new and complicated problem, sank back
into his seat and his attitude became one of deep meditation. He glanced
at the bowl of his dead pipe, leaned forward and drew a burning fagot
from the fire for its relighting; then, at length, he spoke with a
judicial deliberation.

"This hyar's a solid Republican deestrick. We don't need no truce ter
make us vote ther ticket."

The messenger from the outer world shook a dubious head. "Votin' ther
ticket hain't enough. Thar's ergoin' ter be a heap of fancy mathematics
in tallyin' thet vote all over ther State. Up hyar we've got ter make up
fer any deefault down below. We kain't do thet without we all stands
solid. Ef thar's any bickerin' them crooks'll turn hit ter account, but
ef we elects our man he hain't ergoin' ter fergit us."

"So fur es thet goes," mused Asa, "I hain't a