r-cloze, an' all o' 'em toted guns.

"Something sent a chill ter my very heart the moment I laid eyes on 'em.
Hit a'most stopped beatin' when I see Kunnel Bill Pennington a little
ways behind 'em, with a feather in his hat, an' sword an' pistols in
his belt. When they waited at the bars fur him ter come up, I knowed
instantly what they were arter.

"'Fortner,' I said ter my son, tryin' ter speak ez low ez possible;
'Fortner, honey, slip back through the bushes ez quick ez the Lord'll
let ye, an tell yer daddy that Bill Pennington an' his gang air heah
arter him. Sneak away, but when ye air out o' sight, run fur yer life,
honey.'

"He turned ter go, but tat that minnit Bill Pennington shouted out:

"'Stop thar! Don't ye send thet boy away! Ef he moves a step, I'll put
a bullet through his brain!' Fortner would've run in spite o' him, but I
wuz so skeered for him thet I jumped ter his side an' ketched his arm.

"'Keep quiet, honey,' I said. 'Likely they won't find yer daddy at all.'

"Vain hope! Ez I spoke, the sound o' David's ax rung out clearly and
steadily. The cannons at Wildcat, yesterday, didn't sound no louder ter
me. I could even tell that he wuz choppin' a beech tree. The licks was
ex a-sharp an' ringin' ez ef the ax struck iron.

"Bill Pennington lit offen his beast, an' walked toward me, with his
sword a-clatterin' an' his spurs a-jinglin'.

"'Whar's that Yankeefied scalawag of a husband o' your'n? Whar's Dave
Brill?' he said savagely.

"Hit seemed ter me that every stroke from over the hill said ez plainly
ez tongue could utter words: 'Heah I am. Come over heah!' I tried ter
gain time ter think o' something.

"'He started this mornin' on Roan Molly fer Mt. Vernon, to 'tend court,'
I said, knowin' thet I didn't dare hesitate ter make up a story.

"'Kunnel, thet air's a lie,' said Jake Johnson, who knowed us. 'Thar's
Dave Brill's Roan Molly over thar, in the pasture.'

"'An' this hain't court-day in Mt. Vernon, neither,' said another.

"'I know your husband's on the place, I wuz tole so this mornin',' said
Kunnel Bill. 'Hit'll be much better fur ye, ef ye tell me whar he is.
Hit'll at least save yer house from bein' sot afire.'

"Ring! ring! went David's ax, ez ef hit war a trumpet, shoutin' ter the
whole world: 'Heah I am. Come over heah!'

"'Ye kin burn our house ef yer that big a villain,' I said; 'but I can't
tell ye no different.'

"'Kunnel, thet's him a-choppin' over thar,' said Jake Joh