t you come from away up yander whar rocks is
so plenty on the farms that in a hoss trade it would be big boot if a
feller was to throw in a hankerchuf full of dirt. I don't blame you
for comin' away from thar."

"It's pretty rocky up there," said Lyman. "One of our
humorists--Doesticks," he added, nodding to Warren, "said that we had
to slice our potatoes and slip them down edgeways between the rocks."

The old man sprawled himself on the ground and laughed. "Well, if they
was to go out a shootin' at liars wheat straw would leak through that
feller's hide. How are you gittin' along over thar, Mr. Warren?" he
inquired, sitting up and again devoting himself to the chicken.

"First rate, don't know when I've eaten as much."

"Oh, you haven't eat a thing," Miss Nancy protested, looking at him in
great surprise. "You'd soon die at this rate."

"You are right, but not of starvation. I suppose they are feeding the
preacher," he said, looking round. "Yes, they've got him up there.
Look the women are bringing him things from all directions. Lyman,
your people didn't wait to congratulate him. I think it hurt him, too,
for I saw his countenance fall. You must have said something to hurry
the old lady off."

"No, on the contrary I rather urged her to stay."

"Yes, and that's what sent her off."

"But what's to be the outcome of the affair?" the old man asked. "Of
course you wouldn't want to tie her up so she couldn't marry anybody
else, though I honor your pluck in not lettin' 'em force you into
signin' the paper. McElwin is a mighty over-bearin' sort of a man. I
worked a piece of land year before last over on the creek near a field
that belonged to him, and sir, the hired feller that delved and
swetted thar 'peered like he thought it was a great privilege to drag
himself over the ground that belonged to McElwin. He p'inted him out
one day as he driv along in a buggy and when my eyes didn't pop out of
my head he was might'ly 'stonished. Yes, sir, they think the Lord was
proud of the job when that man was put on earth. Well, I believe they
are gettin' ready to go back into the house, and if you folks want to
go, don't let me hold you."

"Ain't you goin' to hear him, pap?" the girl asked, getting up and
brushing the twigs from her skirt.

"Wall, I don't believe I will jest at the present writin'," he
drawled. "He's a good old feller and all that sort of thing, and I
reckon he do love the Lord, but he nipped me in a hoss s