n Dr. Jebb, although he has studied a thousand
books to my one and knows more in a minute of time than I can ever know
in a month of Sundays. And, if I go to college and learn to talk like
him, I'll put people to sleep in church just as he does. Hasn't the
attendance doubled since I came?" There was no question of that due in
part to the growth of the town, and partly also to Hartigan's winning
personality and interesting though not very scholarly sermons.

"All right," said Belle. "You are saved from the terrible fate for six
months. Be happy."

And he was. To such a buoyant soul a guarantee of six months' freedom
put slavery so very far away that it was easy to forget it.

CHAPTER XXXVI

Shoeing the Buckskin

Hartigan and the blacksmith were at it hard again.

"Look a' here," said Shives, "I want ye to notice all this here Church
business was faked up by that man Paul, or Saul, or whatever he called
himself; and the real disciples would have nothing to do with him. They
threw him down cold whenever he tried to mix in. Now if you chuck him
and stick to the simple kindness of the old-timers that really did sit
around with the Master--Paul _never even saw_ Him!--I'm willing to hear
ye. But a man that writes whole screeds about getting or not getting
married and what kind of frippery women have to wear on their heads,
well, I've got him sized up for a fellow that had a dressing down from
some woman and probably deserved all he got--and more."

It was a long speech for Shives and more than once John Higginbotham
tried to break in.

But Shives struck the anvil a succession of ringing blows which
overpowered all rival voices as effectively as any speaker's gavel could
have done. Then, turning suddenly on Higginbotham, he said, "See here,
_Deacon_" (and he stressed the "Deacon"), "if you take the trouble to
read a publication called the Bible, and in particular the early numbers
of the second volume, you'll find that the Big Teacher taught
socialism--and the real disciples did, too. It was that little lawyer
feller Paul that succeeded in twisting things around to the old basis of
'get all you can; there must always be rich and poor'; and it ain't a
bit of use your preaching to a man 'don't steal,' when his babies are
crying for bread. I know I'd steal fast enough; so would you, if you
were anything of a man. It would be your 'fore-God duty to steal; yes,
and murder, too, if there was no other way of feeding t