women
meddling, and very likely they may, when they
live along o' men; but it don't begin with
women, nor yet end with 'em. One day I'd been
out 'tendin' to the cow, and as I was comin'
back I heerd screams and shrieks, and a man's
voice talkin' loud. You may believe I run,
Dolly, as fast as run I could; and when I came
to the kitchen there was Hezekiah King and a
strange man standin' and talkin' to the Queen.
She was all in a heap behind the big chair,
poor soul, tremblin' like a leaf, and her eyes
glarin' like they did the fust time I see her;
and she didn't say a word, only scream, like a
panther in a trap, every minute or two.

I steps before her, and "What's this?" says I,
short enough.

"Mornin', Ca-iry," says Hezekiah, smilin' his
greasy smile, that allus _did_ make me want to
slap his face. "This is Mr. Clamp, from
Coptown. Make ye acquainted with Miss Ca-iry
Pennypacker, Mr. Clamp. I met up with Mr. Clamp
yesterday, Ca-iry, and I was tellin' him about
this demented creatur as you've been shelterin'
at your own expense the last three years, as
the hull neighborhood says it's a shame. And
lo! how myster'ous is the ways o' Providence!
Mr. Clamp is sup'n'tendent o' the Poor Farm
down to Coptown, and he says this woman is a
crazy pauper as he has had in keer for six
year, ever since she lost her wits along o' her
husband bein' drownded. She run away three year
ago last spring, and he ain't heard nothin' of
her till yisterday, when he just chanced to
meet up with me. So now he's come as in dooty
bound, she belongin' to the deestrick o'
Coptown, to take her off your hands, and thank
ye for--"

He hadn't no time to say more. I took him by
the shoulders,--I was mortal strong in those
days, Dolly; there wasn't a man within ten
miles but I could ha' licked him if he'd been
wuth it,--and shot him out o' the door like a
sack o' flour. Then I took the other man, who
was standin' with his mouth open, for all the
world like a codfish, and shot him out arter
him. He tumbled against Hezekiah, and they both
went down together, and sat there and lo