e negro laughed. "I got erhold of 'em."

"Well, what do you think?" Cavanaugh's gray eyes were twinkling with
delight. "Lord! Lord! My boy, I feel like flying! I've laid awake many a
night over this, and now it is ours. Gee! I could dance! I told Jim Luce
about it at the post-office just now. He is going to write it up in his
paper. Gosh! I'm glad this house is finished! We are foot-loose now and
can set in up there whenever we like."

It was like John Trott to make no comments. He was watching the workers
on the roof with a restless eye. The air resounded with the clatter of
the hammers and the grating of the slates one against the other as they
were selected and put down.

"You are an odd boy," Cavanaugh said, with a pleased chuckle. "What are
you looking at up there?"

"They are not on to that job." John frowned. "Those coons work like they
were at a corn-shucking. They don't drive the nails right. They are
breaking a lot of slate and losing enough nails to shingle a barn."

"Oh, they are all right." Cavanaugh spat and chewed unctuously. "Gee!
What if they do break a few slates? We are in the swim, my boy, and
we'll give that county the prettiest court-house in the state, and the
people will appreciate it." Therewith, Cavanaugh put his hand on John's
arm and the look of merriment passed. "I've got to say it, my boy, and
be done with it. You kept me from making a dern fool of myself and
losing the little I have saved up. If it hadn't been for you--"

"Oh, cut it out, Sam!" There was an expression of embarrassed irritation
on the young man's face. He was turning to leave, but Cavanaugh, still
holding his arm, drew him back.

"I won't cut it out!" He all but gulped, cleared his throat, and went
on: "I owe you my thanks and an apology. Only yesterday I got weak-kneed
because I hadn't heard from up there, and told Renfro and some others
who wanted to know about the bid that I had done wrong to listen to as
young a man as you are. I said that, and even talked to my wife about it
the same way, and now we all see you was right. John, I don't intend to
let you keep on at your old wages. You are not getting enough by a long
shot, and from now on I'll give you a third more. I'm going to make some
money out of this deal and you deserve something for what you have
done."

John looked pleased. "Oh, I'll take the raise, all right," he said, with
one of his rare smiles. "I can find a use for the money."

"Say, John"--Cavan