er whiz nigh while I
watered the nags yesterday evening. It all happens along towards dark."

"This is horrible," I said.

"Yes, it's low-down. Folks ought to fight in the open if they got any
fighting to do."

"Is Richard staying with you?"

"Day and night. I allow he's setting with the babe this minute. All I'm
afeared of is that they will shoot him in place of me. But we keep all
the windows blanketed and chinks stopped of a night."

XXII

THE EECH, AND TRAGEDY

_Thursday._

Ever since Philip's return he has been scratching himself in the most
annoying manner. Before I started for the hospital to-night, he came
into my room, clawing viciously at his ankles. "Gimme something for the
eech," he said.

"For what?" I asked.

"For the eech,--I knowed I'd ketch it when I seed Dewey Lovel pawing
round so them nights I spent with him."

"Do you mean the itch?" I inquired, sharply.

"No, I mean the eech,--the seven-year-eech I reckon this is, by the way
it feels."

"I have no idea what to do for such a disease as the itch!" I replied,
helplessly.

Philip danced on one foot, clawing his arms now. "'Itch',--listen at
that now, boys,--she calls the eech the itch,--don't know no
better,--ha! ha!"

"What do people do for it?" I asked.

"Some rubs on lard-and-sulphur; and some axle-grease."

"I'll ask the nurse for medicine,--go along now, please,--_don't_ stand
so near me!"

"Get enough for three," was his parting remark, "Taulbee and Hose is
beginning to scratch too!"

Yes, get enough for a dozen, he had better say!

_Saturday, P. M._

This afternoon bows and spikes (arrows) became violently the fashion.
All the boys went up the mountain side to get hickory limbs for bows,
and arrowwood for "spikes". But from Geordie alone can be bought the
horse-shoe nails (Hosea's before popgun time) which, when hammered flat
at the head, shaped around a nail, and then fitted on the end of a
spike, make a truly dangerous and desirable weapon. These nails are held
at five cents apiece; but when the buyer has no money, as usually
happens, the set of marbles received in his Christmas stocking is
acceptable. As Keats says, what good are "marvles" anyway, with the
ground either snow or slush all the time?

_Sunday Morning._

My fears are verified. Every boy on the place is scratching; and I too
have an irresistible impulse in that direction.

_Sunday Night._

All my family in quar