sit until the fire was extinguished with the overflow of
the quid was with him the topknot of courtesy.

"All right," Gid shouted back; and then to himself he said: "If I was
sure that a drink of that old whisky would thrill him to death I'd steal
it for him, but I'd have to be sure; I'd take no chances."

A horse came galloping up behind him. Dusk was falling and the old man
did not at once recognize Mayo, the labor organizer of the negroes. But
he knew the voice when the fellow spoke: "What's the weather about to
do?"

"About to quit, I reckon," Gid answered.

"Quit what?"

"Quit whatever it's doing."

"Pretty smart as you go along, ain't you?"

"Yes, and when I stop, too."

"Strains you to answer a civil question, I see."

The old man turned in his saddle and jogged along facing the fellow, and
some distance was covered before either of them spoke. "Are you trying
to raise a row with me?" Gid asked. "I want to know for if you are I can
save you a good deal of time and trouble."

"Sort of a time-saver," said Mayo.

"Yes, when I'm not a recruiter for eternity."

"I don't believe I follow you."

"Wish you would, or ride on ahead. Now look here," he added, "I just
about know you when I see you, and as I don't make friends half as fast
as I do enemies--in other words, as I am able to grasp a man's bad
points quicker than I can catch his good ones--I would advise you not to
experiment with me. You haven't come back here for the benefit of the
community, and if we were not the most easy-going people in the world,
we'd hang you and then speculate leisurely as to what might have been
your aim in coming here."

Mayo grunted. He was a tall, big, stoop-shouldered fellow. He rode with
his knees drawn up. He had a sort of "ducking" head, and his chin was
long and pointed. He grunted and replied: "I guess this is a free
country or at least it ought to be."

"Yes," Gid rejoined, still facing him, "but it won't be altogether free
for such as you until the penitentiaries are abolished."

"Oh, I understand you, Mr. Batts. You are trying to work up a chance to
kill me."

"Good guess; and you are trying to help me along."

"But I want to tell you that if you were to kill me you wouldn't live to
tell the tale. I don't want any trouble with you. I'm not here to have
trouble unless it's shoved on me. I am going to do one thing, however,
trouble or no trouble; I am going to demand that the colored people
shall have t