k Bud
Thomas," he went on without a change of countenance. "He made a fiddle
outen a gourd an' could play on it a right sharp. Went along by the sto'
one day an' he war a settin' on a box with this here gourd riddle, an--"

"Well, but what about him?" Jasper broke in.

"He war the crazy man. Reckon you ricollect that black ash tree down by
the creek at Baker's ford. Come along thar one time when the white
suckers war a runnin' an' I had a pair of grab hooks, an'--"

"Well, what about Baker's ford?" Jasper asked, coming closer to him, and
Margaret leaned forward expectantly.

"That's whar he hung hisse'f."

"What are we all a comin' to?" Margaret sighed, sitting back in her
chair.

Laz continued: "Didn't have no rope, so he hung hisse'f with a grape
vine."

Starbuck shook his head. "Oh, you kin put a grape vine to mo' uses than
one."

Margaret turned upon him. "Jasper, I wouldn't make light of it."

"I ain't a makin' light of it--can't make nuthin' of it. Laz, kin you
think of any other little thing that's happened to fret yo'
neighborhood?"

"Believe not, nothin' wuth dividin'. Did hear that Tobe Walsh war kicked
to death by a mule. Didn't put much faith in it, though."

"But was it true?"

"Yes. The mule got him. Buried ter-day."

"Oh, isn't that sad," Margaret wailed. "And he leaves a young wife,
too."

"Better than to leave an old one," said Jasper. "The young widder, you
know, kin smile through her grief."

"Had to tote her from the grave," Laz went on. "But she picked up a
right smart chance when Steve Moore came along. Had her bonnet set fur
him befo' she married Tobe, but he broke the strings an' got away."

"Don't want to borry nothin', do you, Laz?" Jasper inquired.

"Wall, yes," he answered, his countenance for the first time showing
signs of animation. "I come over to borry a hoss fur a week or two. Our
old nag fell offen the bluff an' killed hisse'f."

"That was ruther accommodatin', Laz. You would a been compelled to haul
him away in a day or two longer. But you want to borry a hoss for a week
or two? Don't you think you mout keep him a leetle longer?"

"Yes, mout on a pinch."

"Got any corn to feed him on?"

Laz began to scratch his head. "Wall, that is whut I was a goin' to talk
to you about. Our co'n crib war down on the branch. Branch riz an'
washed all the co'n away, an' I'd like fur you to let me have enough to
feed on fur a month or so."

Jasper was standing near Margare