wer in women's hands, and wished there were more Dilseys with the
courage to use it.
_Sunday._
Flour all gone,--no more biscuit from now on until the roads open--and
no sugar for the little coffee that remains.
_Monday Evening._
To-day the rumor is flying that the remaining Cheevers set the fence up
again on the Marrs land Friday and Saturday, taking their time, in known
security from interruption. Nucky disappeared at noon,--of course he has
gone home.
_Tuesday Night._
I was late going over to supper this evening, and had turned out the
lights and was locking my door to leave when Nucky ran into the cottage.
He did not see me in the shadow, and evidently believed the house to be
deserted, for he flung himself down before the fire in a passion of fury
and despair, beating the floor with hands and feet. I waited until the
storm had subsided a little, then stepped forward into the firelight.
"What does this mean?" I asked.
"Mean!" he replied. "It means that Blant has took leave of his
senses,--that he aint at himself no more,--that he has gone plumb back
on everything!"
"Explain yourself," I said.
"I heared the Cheevers had set the fence back, and went over, and there
it was, built good and strong, on our land. I knowed I couldn't do
nothing myself; but I said, 'This will wake Blant; he will break prison
and come back to us now, like I been a-begging him. He can clean out the
jail and make his escape in ten seconds with his forty-five.' So I got
it, and brung it over, and tuck it down to the jail this evening at the
time I knowed Joe would begin to take the boys off to their cells for
the night. I never went in, but talked to Blant at the window, and told
him the Cheevers had the fence sot up, and how bad everything was at
home. Then Joe he begun to take the boys off, and soon as he turnt his
back, I slipped the forty-five through the bars to Blant. 'Shoot him
down when he comes back,' I says, 'and take the keys and run out,--it
haint no trouble at all!' Blant he sort of jumped when he seed it; then
he heared Joe a-coming, and turnt around with his back again' the
window, 'Joe,' he says, solemn, 'you and t'other boys here never
believed me when I said I had shot my last shoot,--you thought I was
just a-talking. Now I will prove it to you. Nucky here has just brung me
word that the Cheevers has sot up the fence on our land again; he has
begged me to make my escape and settle 'em;
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