the fact, boys," he said, drawing in a long
breath--"the purtiest place this side of Paradise lies right yander
before our eyes. Ef I had some un to give out the lines, I'd cut loose
and sing a hime. Yes, sirs! you'd see me break out an' howl jest like my
old coon dog, Louder, used to do when he struck a hot track. The Lord
has picked us out of the crowd, Frank, an' holp us along at every turn
an' crossin'. But before the week's out, we'll forgit to be thankful.
J'inin' the church wouldn't do us a grain of good. By next Sunday week,
Frank, you'll be struttin' around as proud as a turkey gobbler, an'
you'll git wuss an' wuss less'n Nan takes a notion for to frail you out
ag'in."

Bethune relished the remark so little that he chirped to the mules, but
Mr. Sanders seized the reins in his own hands. "We've fit an' we've
fout, an' we've got knocked out," he went on, "an' now, here we are
ready for to take a fresh start. The Lord send that it's the right
start." He would have driven on, but at that moment, a shabby looking
vehicle drew up alongside the waggon. Gabriel and Cephas knew at once
that the outfit belonged to Mr. Goodlett. His mismatched team consisted
of a very large horse and a very small mule, both of them veterans of
the war. They had been left by the Federals in a broken-down condition,
and Mr. Goodlett found them grazing about, trying to pick up a living.
He appropriated them, fed them well, and was now utilising them not only
for farm purposes, but for conveying stray travellers to and from
Malvern, earning in this way many a dollar that would have gone
elsewhere.

Mr. Goodlett drew rein when he saw Mr. Sanders and Francis Bethune, and
gave them as cordial a greeting as he could, for he was a very
undemonstrative and reticent man. At that time both Gabriel and Cephas
thought he was both sour and surly, but, in the course of events, their
opinions in regard to that and a great many other matters underwent a
considerable change.

CHAPTER FOUR

_Mr. Goodlett's Passengers_

The vehicle that Mr. Goodlett was driving was an old hack that had been
used for long years to ply between Shady Dale and Malvern. On this
occasion, Mr. Goodlett had for his passengers a lady and a young woman
apparently about Nan's age. There was such a contrast between the two
that Gabriel became absorbed in contemplating them; so much so that he
failed to hear the greetings that passed between Mr. Goodlett and Mr.
Sanders, wh