t charmingly expressed, Mr. Starbuck. But if I row away from
you, it was you who placed me in the boat."

"Ma'm, I allus thought it would be hard to talk to an educated woman. I
'lowed she would talk a finery that I couldn't understand, but you
sorter make me change my mind."

"Jasper, you do fret a body so," Margaret put in. "You would lead us to
think you never met a woman befo'. Why, thar air lots o' women up
here--can't talk silk and braid and plush, but they know how to say what
they mean."

Mrs. Mayfield bowed to her. "I quite agree with you, Mrs. Starbuck.
Women everywhere are pretty much the same."

"So glad to hear you say that, Miz Mayfield," Margaret replied. "It
ain't often that anybody agrees with me--Jasper never do. If I'd say a
crow's black, he'd 'low it was white."

"Yes," drawled the old man, "ef you was to say so; but you never would
say a crow was black. You'd say he was yaller. No, I don't allers
dispute what you say. Tuther day when I flung a rock at a steer, it
struck a tree, bounced back and hit me and you said, 'Thar, you've hurt
yo'se'f,' and I didn't dispute it. Jest give me the truth and you won't
here no complaint. Am I right, Jim?"

Jim did not relish his position as "prover." The umpire of household
argument "hath but a losing office." In the opinion of one side or the
other his decision is unjust. "You are nearly always right when you
think you are, Uncle Jasper, and you don't often think you are right
unless you are; and I can say the same of Aunt Margaret."

"Oh, I tell you," the old man declared, shaking his head, "Jim will
keep out of trouble as long as he kin; an' I want to say he is givin' me
a mighty useful lesson right along now about this time."

"Gracious! Look thar!" Margaret exclaimed.

"Hold on!" Jasper commanded, "don't nobody move. Keep right still and
don't say a word."

In the door stood a dog, gazing with glassy stare. Any one could see
that is was mad. A tiger leaping forth from a jungle and standing with
his eyes ablaze, must be a terrible sight. But the tiger, red tongue
out, crouching, eyes like fire, could not inspire more of terror than
the dead eye of a mad dog. We know that its tooth, its claw, its very
foam means death, lingering, horrible.

"Don't move," commanded Jasper, slowly getting up from the table. There
was no weapon within reach. "I'll have to choke him," said the old man.
"If any of you moves a muscle I'll hold you responsible." Gazing in