ett--same es them peanut
hulls.... I hain't got no need of nuther them ... nur hit."

Rowlett's hand, under the sting of accusation, had instinctively pressed
itself against his pocket. Now guiltily and self-consciously it came
away and he found himself idiotically echoing his accuser's words:

"No need of hit?"

"No, I don't want nuther law-co'tes ner juries ter help me punish a man
thet hires his killin' done second-handed.... All I craves air one day
of stren'th ter stand on my feet."

With a brief spasm of hope Rowlett bent forward and quickly decided on a
course of temporizing. If he could encourage that idea the man would
probably die--with sealed lips.

"I'm willin' ter look over all this slander, Cal," he generously
acceded; "ye've done tuck up a false notion in yore light-headedness."

"This thing lays betwixt me an' you," went on the low-pitched but
implacable voice from the bed, "but ef I ever gits up again--you're
goin' ter wisht ter God in Heaven ... hit war jest only ther
penitenshery threatenin' ye."

Again Rowlett's anger blazed, and his self-control slipped its leash.

"Afore God, ef ye warn't so plum puny an' tuckered out, I wouldn't stand
hyar an' suffer ye ter fault me with them damn lies."

"Is thet why ye was ponderin' jest now over shakin' me till I bled
inside myself?... I seed thet thought in yore eyes."

The breath hissed out of Rowlett's great chest like steam from an
over-stressed boiler, and a low bellow broke from his lips.

"I kin still do thet," he declared in a rage-choked voice. "I _did_ hire
a feller ter kill ye, but he failed me. Now I'm goin' ter finish ther
job myself."

Then the door opened and old Caleb Harper called from the threshold:

"Did I hear somebody shout out in hyar? What's ther matter, Bas?"

As the menacing face hung over him, Maggard saw it school itself slowly
into a hard composure and read a peremptory warning for silence in the
eyes. The outstretched hands had already touched him, and now they
remained holding his shoulders as the voice answered:

"Cal jest woke up. I reckon he war outen his head, an' I'm heftin' him
up so's he kin breath freer."

Old Man Harper came over to the bed and Rowlett released his hold and
moved away.

"I've done been studyin' whether Dorothy's goin' ter make hit acrost ter
Jase Burrell's or not," said Caleb, quaveringly. "I fears me ther storm
hes done washed out the ford."

Then he crossed to the hearth and sat dow