If I know'd how I'd go
an' meet that trouble. Thar ain't nuthin' much wuss then to set down an'
wait fur it to come sore-footed along the road, a lookin' fur you."
"But you won't do nuthun' outen the way, will you Jasper?"
"Nuthin'. I've shown all along that I was tryin' to keep out of a
diffikilty. Wall, I'll walk on around the place--by myse'f, Margaret,
fur I want to think."
He went slowly away, changing his course from time to time as he looked
back and saw that she was watching him; and when she went into the house
he walked briskly toward a tree down beneath a hill, and here he sat
down, with his hat off. At his feet was a grave, trimmed with muscle
shells brought from the creek, and shading the stone at the head was a
rose-bush, in bloom.
CHAPTER XX.
MET IT IN THE ROAD.
Long he sat there meditating over something precious as one does
expecting trouble; and arising he walked rapidly to the gulch leading to
his still house. But, reaching there, no moss-covered logs greeted his
eye. There was a smoldering fire, with diminutive whirlpools of white
ashes.
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