nd she was strong as most men. Father
set the gun beside the door, and bent over them. A minute more and he
handed the revolver to Leon, and helped Mrs. Freshett to her feet. Mr.
Pryor lay all twisted on the walk, his face was working, and what he
said was a stiff jabber no one could understand. He had broken into
the pieces we often feared he would.

Robert and Laddie came running to help father carry him in, and lay him
on the couch.

"I hope, Miss Stanton," said Mrs. Freshett, "that I wa'n't too rough
with him. He was so shaky-like, I was 'feered that thing would go off
without his really makin' it, and of course I couldn't see none of
yourn threatened with a deadly weepon, 'thout buttin' in and doin' the
best I could."

Mother put her arms around her as far as they would reach. She would
have had to take her a side at a time to really hug all of her, and she
said: "Mrs. Freshett, you are an instrument in the hands of the Lord
this day. Undoubtedly you have kept us from a fearful tragedy;
possibly you have saved my husband for me. None of us ever can thank
you enough."

"Loosen his collar and give him air," said Mrs. Freshett pushing mother
away. "I think likely he has bust a blood vessel."

Father sent Leon flying to bring Dr. Fenner. Laddie took the carriage
and he and Robert went after Mrs. Pryor, while father, mother, Mrs.
Freshett, the Princess, May, and I, every last one, worked over Mr.
Pryor. We poured hot stuff down his throat, put warm things around
him, and rubbed him until the sweat ran on us, trying to get his
knotted muscles straightened out. When Dr. Fenner came he said we were
doing all he could; MAYBE Mr. Pryor would come to and be all right, and
maybe his left side would be helpless forever; it was a stroke. Seemed
to me having Mrs. Freshett come against you like that, could be called
a good deal more than a stroke, but I couldn't think of the right word
then. And after all, perhaps stroke was enough. He couldn't have been
much worse off if the barn had fallen on him. I didn't think there was
quite so much of Mrs. Freshett; but then she was scared, and angry; and
he was about ready to burst, all by himself, if no one had touched him.
He had much better have stayed at home and listened to what was to be
said, reasonably, like father would; and then if he really had to
shoot, he would have been in some kind of condition to take aim.

After a long hard fight we got him limber, s