eters inquired of Kintchin: "Whar's Starbuck?"

"He wuz out yander jest now an' he'll come ez soon as he know you yere.
Whut I tell you?" he added as Jasper made his sudden appearance.

"Here, nigger," said Peters, "go on away; I want to talk to Starbuck."

Jasper told the negro to go and then he stood looking at Peters.

"I didn't expect to see you here ag'in after what passed the other day.
Didn't I tell you--"

Peters held up his hand. "Ricolleck I ain't in yo' house. You told me
not to darken yo' door ag'in, and I hain't. Don't overlook that fact.
And I wouldn't be here, but my app'intment has come."

"Wall."

"An' I go on duty day atter to-morrer. Do you know what that means?"

"I told you not long ago what it mout mean."

"But it mout not turn out that way."

"Shot fo' an' stobbed three," muttered the old man, his mind reverting
to the story paper.

"Starbuck, is that young feller Elliott any kin to Jedge Elliott in
Nashville?"

"That's for you to fin' out."

"Wall, I didn't know, an' I come mighty nigh havin' trouble with him not
long ago."

"Yes, an' I reckon he come mighty nigh a robbin' me of a pleasure--when
the time comes."

"It was about Lou."

"Miss Lou, you viper."

"Oh, that's all right. Starbuck, you ricolleck I told you I had that
old-fashioned, single-barrel cap-an'-ball pistol. Here it is." He drew
forth an old pistol.

"Peters, I'd advise you to come after me with a mo' improved weepin."

"Oh, I'll do that an' with help from off yander, when the time comes. I
ain't atter you yit. I jest wanted to give you one mo' chance. An' when
I come shore enough, I'll fetch improved weepins. I ain't quite in my
official capacity now."

"Yo' app'intment has teached you big words."

"Yes," said Peters, tapping the barrel of the pistol, "as big as the
slug this thing is loaded with. My daddy told me that this here slug
went through his brother's heart an' was buried in a tree. It was dug
out an' now it's here--in this pistol ag'in. Jest fetched it along to
remind you of the past."

"Oh, my ricolliction is good, Peters. But I don't ricolleck how you come
by that old pistol. None of yo' folks ever tuck it away from any of
mine. I reckon some of yo' folks stold it outen the cou't house."

"That's all right, Starbuck. No matter how it come, it is here. But I
don't want no trouble with you, an' won't have none if you do the right
an' easy thing. Raise that thousand dollars fur me. You've go