w what the doctor says about _him_?" The old man jerked his
head towards the door.

Margaret nodded.

"Well, they're goin' to have 'em both hung for murder the minute he
draws his last breath."

"Can't till they're tried," said Margaret, with a sniff of scorn at
her husband's lack of legal knowledge.

"Well, they're goin' to clap 'em into jail the minute they git home,
an' keep 'em there till they can hang 'em," persisted old man Bean.

"They ain't."

"I tell ye they are!"

Old man Bean had a cup of tea, plentifully sweetened with molasses,
made from the ginger which he had purchased, and went to bed happy
and peaceful, as one who has worked innocently and well his small
powers to his own advantage; and soon after that Lot also heard the
news which he had brought.

Margaret Bean said to herself that it was her duty; and her duty, and
a great devouring thirst of curiosity, overcame her natural fear of
injuring the sick man.

Lot Gordon was still in bed, but propped up on pillows, with a candle
on the stand at his side, reading one of his leather-covered books.
Margaret Bean shrank back when she had delivered herself of her news,
for the flash in Lot's eyes was like lightning; and she waited in
trembling certainty as for thunder.

"I tell ye 'tis a lie!" cried Lot Gordon. "Do ye hear, 'tis a lie! Go
yourself and tell them so from me. The wound has naught to do with
this. It was naught but a scratch, for I had not courage enough to
strike deep, much as I wanted to be quit of the world and the fools
in it. Go you down to the store and tell the gossips that have no
affairs of their own, and must needs pry on their neighbors so. Dare
any one of them to turn knife on his own flesh for the first time and
strike deeper! The next time I'll do better. Tell them so! The fools!
Sodom and Gomorrah, and fire from Heaven for wickedness! Lord, why
not fire from Heaven for damned foolishness, that does more harm to
the world than the shattering of all the commandments into
stone-dust!"

"I felt that 'twas my duty to let you know, sir," stammered Margaret
Bean, backing farther and farther away from him.

"Tell the fools that I say, and I'll swear to it, and so will the
doctor swear, that 'twas not the wound that has been my ailment, but
my cursed lungs; but if 'twas 'twould be naught to them, for I struck
the blow myself. I tell you that neither the one nor the other of
them struck the blow--it was I. Do you hear? It was