next train. I must git back to the company. They'll--"

"You'll do nothin' o' the kind," said Si impatiently. "What's eatin'
you? What'd you skip out from our house for? What'd you mean--"

He was broken in upon by Maria's voice as she came in at the head of a
bevy of other girls:

"Si Klegg, ain't you ever comin' out? What's akeepin' you? We're tired
waitin' for you, and w're comin' right in. What're you doin' to them
ragamuffins that you've bin gatherin' up? Tryin' to patch 'em up into
decent-lookin' men? Think it'll be like mendin' a brush-fence--makin'
bad worse. Where on earth did you gather up sich a gang o' scare-crows?
I wouldn't waste my days and nights pickin' up sich runts as them. When
I go manhuntin' I'll gether something that's worth while."

Every bright sally of Maria was punctuated with shrieks of laughter from
the girls accompanying her. Led by her, they swarmed into the dull, bare
room, filling it with the brightness of their youthful presence, their
laughter, and their chirruping comments on everything they saw. The jail
was a place of deep mystery to them, and it was a daring lark for them
to venture in even to the outside rooms.

"The girls dared me to bring 'em in," Maria explained to Si, "and I
never won't take no dare from anyone. Si, ain't you goin' to kiss your
sister? You don't act a bit glad to see me. Now, if it was Annabel--"

"Why, Maria," said Si, kissing her to stop her mouth, "I wasn't
expectin' to see you. What in the world are you doin' over here?"

"Why, your Cousin Marthy, here, is goin' to be married Thursday to
her beau, who's got 10 days' leave to come home for that purpose. The
thing's bin hurried up, because he got afeared. He heard that Marthy was
flyin' around to singin' school and sociables with some other fellers
that's home on furlough. So he just brung things to a head, and I rushed
over here to help Marthy git ready, and stand by her in the tryin' hour.
Why, here's Mr. Corporil Elliott, that I hain't spoken to yit. Well,
Mr. Skip-and-away, how d' you do? Girls, come up here and see a man who
thought mother's cookin' was not good enough for him. He got homesick
for army rations, and run off without so much as sayin' good-by, to git
somethin' to eat that he'd really enjoy."

Her merry laugh filled the room, and rang even into the dark cells
inside. Shorty shambled to his feet, pulled off his hat, and stood with
downcast eyes and burning face. He had never encounte