r ago. Whar is it?"

"Gracious alive Jasper, I don't know. What did you bring that gear in
here for? Can't you fix it at the stable?"

"Yes, could. Could also sleep and eat out thar, but I don't want to."

"Now what on the yeth do you want to talk that way fur?"

Jasper chuckled. "Wall, a man ain't hardly responsible for what he says
when he's talkin' to a woman."

"Then you don't believe, Mr. Starbuck, that woman inspires truth," said
Mrs. Mayfield, and Jim leaned forward, still gazing at her.

"Oh, yes, all the putty truths," Jasper replied, and Tom who, with Lou,
was standing over near the fire-place, sang out: "There, auntie, he is
meeting you on your own ground."

Jim's countenance flared and he struck in: "Yes, in the shade where the
soft air is stirring."

Mrs. Mayfield turned to him. "Oh, thank you Mr.--I shall have to call
you Mr. Reverend."

He gave her a smile and then as if afraid of too much light shut it off;
but he had the courage to reply: "Anything you call me, ma'm, will be
music."

"Oh, I tell you," said Jasper, tugging at the buckle, "Jim ain't been
preachin' ten years fur nothin'. Wall, mighty fur nothin', too; for I
ricolleck that one winter all he got was a pa'r of blue jeens britches
an' fo' pa'r of wool socks. And if I don't cuss this thing in a minit
more I'll be about fitten to preach."

"Mr. Starbuck," Mrs. Mayfield inquired, "was that you shooting so early
this morning?"

"Yes'm, killin' them squirrels we had fur breakfus'."

"And you saw the sun rise?"

He left off working with his gear and looked at her. "Ah, hah. Ever see
the sun rise?"

"I have seen the moon set," she said, half musing.

"And so have I," said Jasper. "I have seen the moon set and hatch out
the stars."

And still musing, Mrs. Mayfield replied: "Yes, and they peeped at one
another in their heavenly nest until the sun, man-like, came and spoiled
it all."

[Illustration: "THEM WHAT HAIN'T HAD TROUBLE 'AIN'T HAD NO CAUSE TO LOOK
FUR THE LORD."]

Jasper and his wife looked at each other, knowingly in the eye; and then
the old man said: "I beg yo' pardon, ma'm, but you must have had
trouble. But don't let it bother you any mo' than you kin help, fur my
experience teaches me that them what hain't had trouble ain't had no
cause to look fur the Lord."

"Why, Jasper Starbuck," Margaret spoke up, "ain't you ashamed of yo'se'f
to talk about the Lord thatter way?"

"I ain't said a word ag'in Him. Leave it