a lunkin' good-lookin' woman
though," he added, with a coarse suggestion in his voice, which
exasperated Johnny to the pitch of giving him a kick on the heel as he
walked in front. "Hyare, young feller, look where you're puttin' your
hoofs!" Bill growled, looking about.

John was comforted by seeing in the face of his brother the same rapt
expression which he felt was on his own. He walked along almost
mechanically, scarcely feeling the sidewalk, his thoughts still dwelling
on the lady and the play. It was after ten o'clock, and the stores were
all shut, the frost lay thick and white on the plank walk, and the moon
was shining as only a moon can shine through the rarefied air on the
Western prairies, and overhead the stars in innumerable hosts swam in
the absolutely cloudless sky.

John stumbled along, keeping hold of Lime's hand till they reached the
team standing at the sidewalk, shivering with cold. The impatient horses
stretched their stiffened limbs with pleasure and made off with a
rearing plunge. The men were noisy. Bill sang another song at the top
of his voice as they rattled by the sleeping houses, but as he came to
an objectionable part of the song Lime turned suddenly and said: "Shut
up on that, will you?" and he became silent.

Rock Falls, after the most extraordinary agitation, had just prohibited
the sale of liquor at any point within two miles of the school-house in
the town. This, after strenuous opposition, was enforced; the immediate
effect of the law was to establish saloons at the limit of the two miles
and to throw a large increase of business into the hands of Hank Swartz
in the retail part of his brewery, which was situated about two miles
from the town, on the bank of the river. He had immediately built a
bar-room and made himself ready for the increase of his trade, which had
previously been confined to supplying picnic parties with half-kegs of
beer or an occasional glass to teamsters passing by. Hank had an eye to
the main chance and boasted: "If the public gits ahead of me it's got to
be up and a-comin'."

The road along which Crandall was driving did not lead to Hank's place,
but the river road, which branched off a little farther on, went by the
brewery, though it was a longer way around. The men grew silent at last,
and the steady roll and rumble of the wagon over the smooth road was
soothing, and John laid his head in Lime's lap and fell asleep while
looking at the moon and wondering