he said and upon his shoulder she wept, the wagon waiting, the driver munching; and on the fence and in the trees the birds that had been wedding guests were singing, having come down from the vine-k.n.o.b to carrol them a good-bye. At last there was nothing more to be said and the driver popped his hickory bark whip and the wagon rolled away.

Jasper went into the house and sat down, deep in thought, but for a long time Margaret stood at the gate, and the old man saw her sobbing in her ap.r.o.n. She came into the room when no longer could she hear the wagon rattling over the stones, high up the hill, and he said to her: "In the way of nature, my dear, and you mustn't grieve. I count her a very lucky girl. That young feller will make her a good livin' and--"

"Well," Margaret broke in, "she deserves it. You talk as if he wan't lucky too. But I jest want to tell you he is and you needn't say he ain't. You ought to be ashamed of yo'se'f to belittle yo' own daughter thatter way. Well, I never. Never did I expect to see the day when you'd say yo' child wan't worthy of a young man, even if he is a jedge's son."

"Air you about through?"

"Oh, don't talk to me. I'm out of all patience with you. Great goodness alive, is it all to his credit that he is a jedge's son? You talk like if she hadn't found him n.o.body else would a had her. And thar ain't a puttier girl in all this here section, although she hain't got as many clothes as she ought to have, a goin' a way off on a bridal tower."

"Gittin' putty nigh the eend."

"Laws a ma.s.sy. Time was when I never dreamed that you'd slander yo' own kith an' kin. An' come right from yo' daughter's weddin' an' swopped hosses with a preacher. It was a sin and a shame. I never was so mortified in my life. And then at supper he prayed. Just think of it.

I'll bet anything he cheated you."

"Wall let us believe not. The next mornin' after standin' all night, the hoss I let him have will show his true worth. He's got a spavin, as you know, an' when he leads him out of the stable a j'int in his right leg'll pop like a pipe stem broke."

"Now Jasper Starbuck, is it possible that you put off that spavined hoss on Brother Fetterson? You ought to be ashamed of yo'se'f. Ain't you got no respect at all for the gospel?"

"Wall, not so powerful much respect for a gospel that always wants to ride a fine hoss at another's expense. Jest thought I'd l'arn him a lesson. Come out an' let's look at my new hoss."

They went out to the stable, and when Jasper attempted to lead forth the horse, the animal cringed and held back, and in his eye there was an expression of pain, for in truth he was so badly spavined that he had to hobble on three legs.

"Ah, hah, that's what you git for tryin' to cheat the gospel," said Margaret. "And you ought to be ashamed of yo'se'f, an' he a preacher at that--preached the loveliest funeral sermon over old Aunt Polly Myer I ever heard in my life."

For a time old Jasper was silent. His wife asked him what he intended to do. "Wall," said he, "believe I'll knock this critter in the head, skin him, take a hindquarter over to that preacher's house and make him eat it raw."

"You'll do nothin' of the sort, an' yo' daughter jest married, too. I'm sorry, Jasper, that I said what I did a while ago. Yes, Lou is lucky--almost as lucky, Jasper, as I was when you asked me to be yo'

wife."

"I'd ruther you'd scold me than to talk thatter way, Margaret. You know I can't stand it, an' please don't. h.e.l.loa, who's this a comin'?"

It was the post-master, who, ripping open many a man's letter could read it off just like print. He shook hands with Jasper and Margaret and said that he had several letters for the young fellow and the good-looking woman from away off. When Jasper gave him an account of the wedding and told him that the brides and the bridegrooms were gone, he said: "Wall, we jest as wall open the letters an' see if we kin find out what's in 'em."

Margaret fluttered at him. "You'll do nothin' of the sort. Jest leave 'em with me and I'll see that they air give over all right."

"Wall, ma'm, no harm did," he said handing her the letters; and then to Jasper he said: "Brother Fetterson come a ridin' by my house late yistidy an' wanted to swop hosses with me. Had a five year old that I raised myse'f, a little under size but as tough as dried beef; so I swopped for a mighty likely nag."

"Have you looked at yo' swop to-day?"

"Yes, seed him a standin' out in the lot."

"Didn't see him walk, I reckon."

"No, was a tradin' licker for hounds at the time an' didn't stir him up; an' when I come away jest now he was off in the pasture somewhar. Didn't know but you mout want him."

"Ah, hah, an' in the hope that I do I reckon you've got a n.i.g.g.e.r astradle of him stirrin' the spavin outen his j'int, hain't you?"

"Wall, reckon I better bid you good day," said the post-master, turning to go, and as he did old Jasper's laughter and Margaret's contempt followed him. "Got cheated hisse'f an' now he wants to come over an'

cheat you," she said.

"Yes," the old man replied, "but tain't no mo' than natral. I don't hold it much ag'in a man when he tries to cheat me. It's the old Adam a b'ilin' up in him."

"It didn't uster be thatter way in the good old times," she remarked, and scratching his head he replied: "Yes, it did, or worse. Away back they'd knock you on the head or stick a knife in you an' take what you had. Now they cheat you without knockin' you down, an' that is a improvement."

He was becoming too philosophical to suit Margaret, and she told him that he did not seem to realize the loss of his daughter. "Don't I?

Wall, jest say the word an' I'll set down on a stump an' cry."

"Yes, but you wouldn't cry if it was me that was gone. Oh, anybody's goin' would put you out mo' than mine, an' you was jest achin' for a chance to show me."

"Then if you have give me the chance I must thank you for bein' so accommodatin'. But I wish you wouldn't worry me now, Margaret. In one respeck the goin' away of the folks was a blessin' fur the trouble that has been a threatenin' for some time is sh.o.r.ely a comin.' Don't nag me."

"Do I bother you, Jasper, an' trouble a comin' too? Well, I won't. I wonder if I ain't as mean as I can be."

"No, you're all right. An' it must be me that's as mean as a old dog a layin' in the corner of the fence with a bone. If I know'd how I'd go an' meet that trouble. Thar ain't nuthin' much wuss then to set down an'

wait fur it to come sore-footed along the road, a lookin' fur you."

"But you won't do nuthun' outen the way, will you Jasper?"

"Nuthin'. I've shown all along that I was tryin' to keep out of a diffikilty. Wall, I'll walk on around the place--by myse'f, Margaret, fur I want to think."

He went slowly away, changing his course from time to time as he looked back and saw that she was watching him; and when she went into the house he walked briskly toward a tree down beneath a hill, and here he sat down, with his hat off. At his feet was a grave, trimmed with muscle sh.e.l.ls brought from the creek, and shading the stone at the head was a rose-bush, in bloom.

CHAPTER XX.

MET IT IN THE ROAD.

Long he sat there meditating over something precious as one does expecting trouble; and arising he walked rapidly to the gulch leading to his still house. But, reaching there, no moss-covered logs greeted his eye. There was a smoldering fire, with diminutive whirlpools of white ashes. He wiped his brow and upon a stone he sat down. The law had come with its torch, and for a long time his face was hard and grim. An hour must have pa.s.sed, and then with an air of gentleness as one resigned to punishment, he went to a rock, the rock under which the spirit boy had dwelt, and reaching beneath it drew forth a Winchester rifle.

"I'll pump out these here bra.s.s temptations," he said, throwing out the cartridges and slowly, one by one, dropped them into the rivulet. Then, breaking the gun across the rock, he slowly started toward home.

Reaching the road, he stood looking up and down the rugged highway over which Old Jackson's carriage had b.u.mped and rattled, over which long before the days of the railroad dry-goods and hardware had been transported from Philadelphia to Nashville. He did not stand there long alone. From the bushes came a loud command--"Throw up your hands"--and the government's guns were pointed at his breast. He obeyed and three men came forward to search him, and just then came the roar of Peters.

"Why didn't you shoot the scoundrel!" Past the men he rushed with a knife, and Old Jasper, leaping in the air, struck him in the face with his iron fist and he lay senseless and bleeding on the ground.

One of the deputies threw up his gun to shoot, but the officer in command seized the weapon and wrested it from his hands.

"You wolf, would you shoot a brave old man? He respects the law more than you--and a hundred per cent. more than this villain. I wish he had broken his neck. Here, Nick," he added, speaking to his other attendant, "go up the hill to where Pagett has the wagon, bring it here and take this half-dead hulk to his home. Then drive over to Starbuck's, and I will be there with the prisoner. You go with me," he continued, speaking to the deputy whom he had disarmed. "Here, take your gun and remember that Uncle Sam isn't a murderer. Bring the hand-cuffs."

Old Starbuck's face broke into many a seam and then grew tight.

"Mister," he pleaded, "as an old soldier let me beg of you not to put them criminal things on me. If you must, wait till we drive away from the house. My wife mustn't see them. Let me tell you suthin'. Down the hill yander under a tree there's a grave an' in it the most precious dust human flesh ever withered into. Drag me there an' I will put my hand on that grave an' sw'ar that I won't attempt to git away."

"Nick," said the commandant, "take the hand-cuffs along and throw them under the wagon seat. We won't need them."

"I thank you, sir," replied Jasper. "Now we will go to the house, an'

what I say to that po' woman down there you must stand to. This way, please."

Margaret was hanging out clothes when into the yard the two officers came, Jasper walking between them. Upon the ground she dropped a sheet and came running toward them.