folkses' quarrels."

"Then ye aims ter stand aside an' let things take thar own course?"

"Thet's what I 'lowed ter do, but ye've jest done told me thet the
Doanes don't aim ter _let_ me stand aside. S'pose ye tells me some
more."

"All right," said Aaron, brusquely. "Ef thet's what ye wants I'll tell
ye a lavish."

Dorothy had come to the front door and looked out, and seeing the men
still mopping hot faces, she had brought out a pitcher of cool
buttermilk and a pewter mug.

The backs of the three visitors were turned toward the house, and her
feet on the grass had made no sound so that only Parish himself had
known of her coming and he had, with a lifting of the brows, signalled
her to wait until old Aaron finished speaking.

"I've done sought by prayer an' solemn ponderin' ter take counsel with
Almighty God," declared the spokesman. "Ther blood of them three boys of
mine hes been cryin' out ter me fer twenty y'ars but yet I knows thet ef
ther war does come on again hit's goin' ter bring a monstrous sum of
ruination an' mischief. So I comes ter ye--es Caleb Harper's heir--ter
heer what ye've got ter say."

Dorothy Thornton's eyes widened as, standing with the pitcher and the
ancient mug in her hands, she listened to that speech. Then as the full
import of its feudal menace broke upon her understanding the blossom
colour flowed out of her smooth cheeks and neck, leaving them ivory
white.

She saw herself as the agency which had drawn her husband into this
vortex, and bitterly reflected that this had been her dowry and the gift
of her love!

Parish's glance held by that stunned fixety in her expression attracted
the attention of the others and old Aaron Capper, turning his head, saw
her and let a low oath of exasperation escape him.

"Send her away!" he snapped, angrily. "This hyar hain't no woman's
business. How much did she hyar?"

Parish Thornton went forward and took the pitcher and pewter mug from
his wife's hand, then he shook his head, and his voice altered to a new
ring, quiet, yet electrically charged with dominance.

"No," he ripped out, shortly. "I hain't ergoin' ter send her away. Ye
says hit hain't no woman's business, and yit she's Caleb Harper's
gran'daughter--an' because of her weddin' with me--Harpers an' Doanes
alike--ye won't suffer me ter foller out my own affairs in my own
fashion, onmolested!"

Aaron came to his feet, bristling indignantly and with new protests
rising to his lips