you bear the bur-rden of your
misdeeds. But if Bud goes wr-rong consider of the gr-rief of that poor
Melissa, and think of the baby gr-rowing up to know that her father is
a cr-riminal!"

"You-all think you got a mahty strong argyment there, Mr. Baron, don'
you? But let me tell you, that's the weakest one you could bring.
M'lissy Lance told me 'No' when she was a girl, an' M'lissy
Yarebrough's never spoke a decent word to me since she's been married,
'n 'f unhappiness comes on her, Ah'll be glad of hit; 'n 'f hit comes
through mah doin', hit's only what Ah'm aimin' at."

"'Aimin' at?' What mean you by that?"

"Ah mean Ah'll be gladder still 'f she's hurt through me."

"Know you not that it is a coward who takes pleasure in the pain of
women and children?"

"So be," returned Pink, cheerfully. "A coward Ah am, then, fo' that's
the way Ah feel."

"I warn you I shall speak to Bud."

"Talk yo' hatful, Ah don' care. Ah got a pull on him. Talk all you
please so long's ye don' talk to the marshal."

"An' Ah ain' afraid o' yo' doin' that," he continued to himself, as he
turned into the side road that led to his cabin. "You-all's had enough
o' them folkses; an' you ain' that kind, either."

XXII

Von Rittenheim Collects his Rent

It was in the cool of the next day's afternoon that von Rittenheim,
with 'Gene Frady, who was working for him, drove up to the field where
was piled his rent corn. Bud was awaiting him there, and after he had
chosen his heap from the three which were as nearly alike as it was
possible to make them, he sat on a fallen tree and idly watched the two
men loading the wagon. The western sky gave prophecy of a cloudless
sunset, and Friedrich wished that his own path towards oblivion were as
free and clear, and smiled faintly at the triteness of his comparison.

He owned to himself as he sat there that he was contented. He had
entered upon his business with the desire to retrieve his past, and to
make for himself a future that might be worthy for Sydney to share. Now
the latter spur to ambition was gone, but it was replaced by an urgent
desire to forget in work the bitter disappointment that had befallen
him. Pushed by that incentive his venture could not long remain a
venture. Such energy was bound to bring success. And the victory, which
was daily more evident and more substantial, combined with the feeling
that he was doing his duty as he saw it, to produce content.

But happiness? N