sked somewhat
irrelevantly--

"Pap, do you reckon Mr. Woodward was a revenue spy after all?"

"Well, not to'rds the last. He drapped that business airter he once
seed its which-aways. What makes you ast?"

"Because I hate and despise revenue spies."

"Well, they hain't been a-botherin' roun lately, an' we hain't got no
call to hate 'em tell they gits in sight. Hatin' is a mighty ha'sh
disease. When Puss's preacher comes along, he talks ag'in it over the
Bible, an' when you call 'im in to dinner, he talks ag'in it over the
chicken-bones. I reckon hit's mighty bad--mighty bad."

"Did you like him?"

"Who? Puss's preacher?"

"Now, you know I don't mean _him_, pap."

"_Oh!_ Cap'n Woodward. Well, I tell you what, he had mighty takin'
ways. Look in his eye, an' you wouldn't see no muddy water; an' he had
grit. They hain't no two ways about that. When I ast 'im out with us
that night, he went like a man that had a stool to a quiltin'-bee; an'
when Duke Dawson an' Sid Parmalee flung out some er the'r slurs, he
thes snapt his fingers in the'r face, an' ups an' says, says he,
'Gents, ef youer up for a frolic, I'm your man, an' ef youer in for a
fight, thes count me in,' says he. The boys wuz a little drinky," said
Teague, apologetically.

Sis squeezed up a little closer against her father's shoulder.

"Did they fight, pap?"

"Lord bless you, no. I thes taken am' flung my han' in Duke's collar
an' fetched 'im a shake er two, an put 'im in a good humour thereckly;
an' then airterwerds Tip Watson sot 'em all right when he read out the
letter you foun' on the floor."

"Oh, pap!" Sis exclaimed in a horrified tone, "I _slapped_ that letter
out of Mr. Woodward's _hand!_"

Teague laughed exultantly.

"What'd he say?"

"He didn't say _anything_. He looked like he expected the floor to open
and swallow him. I never was so ashamed in my life. I've cried about it
a thousand times."

"Why, honey, I wouldn't take an' _cry_ 'bout it ef I wuz you."

"Yes you would, pap, if--if--you were me. I don't know what came over
me; I don't know how I could be so hateful. No _lady_ would ever do
such a thing as that."

Sis gave her opinion with great emphasis. Teague took his pipe out of
his mouth.

"Well, I tell you what, honey, they mought er done wuss. I let you
know, when folks is got to be a-runnin' here an' a-hidin' yander, hit's
thes about time for the gals for to lose the'r manners. Nobody wouldn't
a-blamed you much ef yo