he women with
their hands in the air, ran to him. "A few White Caps out of
employment wanted work, and got it. There, now, don't take on. Sit
down, Aunt Tobithy. Oh, old Uncle Jasper is all right."

"He is drunk," said the old woman, anger driving away her fright.
"They have made him drunk and he would sit there and sleep and let
them burn the house over his head. Oh, was there ever anything so
disgraceful! Jasper! Jasper!" she shook him.

"Horse that would trot--trot--" the old man muttered.

"Oh, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Take hold of him, Annie, and
let's put him to bed."

"I'll take care of him," said Lyman. They put him to bed and then sat
down. "I don't understand it," the old woman remarked. "Did they hurt
you?"

"No, they didn't get at me. They were at a disadvantage, out on the
narrow landing, while I had plenty of room to swing around in. I must
have hurt two of them pretty badly."

"What do you think of it?" Annie inquired

"Sawyer," said Lyman.

The old woman made a noise that sounded like a cluck. "And he fixed it
so we were to go over to his mother's," she said. "Oh, it's perfectly
clear. And he brought whisky here and got Jasper drunk. I do think
this is the worst community the Lord ever saw. Talk about churches and
school-houses, when such things are allowed to go on."

"What are you going to do about it, Mr. Lyman?" Annie asked. "Are you
going to have them arrested?"

"They ought to be hanged," the old lady spoke up. "Oh, I knew
something would happen the moment I put my foot off the place. I never
did know it to fail. And I might have told this morning that something
wrong was goin' to take place, for I had to try twice or three times
before I could pick up anything when I stooped for it, and I saw a hen
out in the yard trying to crow. But, Mr. Lyman," she added,
reflectively, "I do hope you will think twice before you go to law
about it. I don't tell you not to, mind you, for I am the last one in
the world to tell a person not to have the law enforced, but if you
could see that old woman--Zeb's mother--you wouldn't want to do a
thing to bend her down with grief; it makes no difference how many
laws it would enforce."

"And besides what would the law do?" Annie broke in, to strengthen her
mother's position. "You might have him arrested and all that, and a
trial and a scandal, too, but after all, it wouldn't amount to
anything. I should think that his conscience would punish hi