kin' at no comic! He looked this evenin' like he'd put his
finger in his mouth in one more minute, plumb 'shamed ter his
boot-sole o' the things Markham hed said. An' Markham he kem up ter me
before a crowd o' fellers, an' says, says he: 'Mr. Hoxon, I meant no
reflections on yer fambly in alludin' ter its poverty, an' I honor ye
fur yer lifelong exertions in its behalf. I take pride, sir, in makin'
this apology.' An' I says: 'I be a' illit'rate, humble man, Mr.
Markham; but I will venture the liberty to tell ye ez ye mought take
mo' pride in givin' no occasion fur apologies ter poverty.' Them
fellers standin' aroun' jes' laffed. I knowed he didn't mean a word he
said then, but war jes' slickin' over the things he _hed_ said on
Quigley's account, kase the crowd seemed ter favor me. I say, comic!
Let Rolf Quigley take the comic fur a sign."

It is easy to pluck up fears that have no root. "Oh, I be goin' ter
'lectioneer all the same ez ever. Whar 's the nex' place we air bound
fur?"

Walter put his hand on his brother's shoulder as he asked the
question, and in the eager unfolding of plans and possibilities the
two, as Justus talked, made their way along the deer-path beside the
salt lick, leaving the stars coldly glittering on the ripples, with
that wonderful streak of white fire reflected among them; leaving,
too, the vaguely whispering woods, communing with the wind as it came
and went; reaching the slope of the mountain at last, where was
perched, amid sterile fields and humble garden-patch, the little cabin
in which "Fambly" had struggled through its forlorn youth to better
days.

* * * * *

The door was closed after this. A padlock knocked against it when the
wind blew, as if spuriously announcing a visitor. The deceit failed of
effect, for there was no inmate left, and the freakish gust could only
twirl the lock anew, and go swirling down the road with a rout of dust
in a witches' dance behind it. The passers-by took note of the
deserted aspect of things, and knew that the brothers were absent
electioneering, and wondered vaguely what the chances might be. This
passing was somewhat more frequent than was normal along the road; for
when the mists that had hung about the mountains persistently during a
warm, clammy, wet season had withdrawn suddenly, and one night
revealed for the first time the comet fairly ablaze in the sky, a
desire to hear what was said and known about it at th