bove him. "But how'r' you goin' to git back? I can't tech you nor be
a-nigh you after yo've handled the small-pox!"

"I'll have my horse and buggy here in a day or two--from Jericho," mused
Glenning. "I tell you. I'll get a vehicle from the nearest stable. Where
is it--your nearest livery stable?"

They came out on the pavement, side by side.

"Yonder." Uncle Billy pointed with his pilgrim's staff. "Half way down
the square where them men are settin' tilted back talkin' hard
times--that's what they're doin' if I can't hear 'em. I know ever'
blessed one of 'em from here. See the place? Got a big red hoss painted
over the door. Ask for Steve Duncan or Lige Lane--they run it, 'n' are
good men. Say I sent you. Yonder's my nag, hitched to that lamp post."

The pilgrim's staff came swinging vigorously around to do its duty as an
index, and caught Mr. Devil Marston's hat midway, knocking it into the
dust of the gutter, where it rolled over a few times as knocked-off hats
invariably do. The victim of this harmless accident would not, under
ordinary circumstances, have taken it lightly. Mr. Hoonover made a
motion to recover the property he had unintentionally mistreated, but
Marston, cat-like, had the hat in his hands, brushing it with his
sleeve, before Uncle Billy's wits could fully take in the situation.

"Mind what you're about, you damned old buzzard!" he gritted, his small
eyes glinting wickedly. "If you've got to carry a fishing pole around
with you why don't you stay in the cornfield, where you belong?"

Uncle Billy's booted feet began to go up and down. His straggling
whiskers trembled from anger and he combed them with restless fingers as
he fired back--

"I didn't go to do it, 'n' I's goin' to pick it up for you,
you--you--you son of a nigger!"

A big brown fist came like a lightning bolt at the old fellow's
convulsed face, but swifter yet was Glenning's stroke which threw up the
threatening arm, and this was followed by another which sent the burly
form reeling, though it did not fall. Then as John dragged Uncle Billy
into the little passageway at the foot of the stair some men came
running towards the scene. They arrived in time to lay restraining hands
upon Marston, who had his revolver out and was advancing to renew the
trouble. By main force they held him for a time, until he had become
calmer, and it was big Joe Colver who took his pistol from him and told
him he would be arrested if he did not go on his