lowering gaze was fixed.

"There's always somethin' to be thankful for," said his meek wife,
her eyes following his gaze. "You've only sprained it, and didn't
break it. Does it still ache, dear?"

"It aches like--of course it aches!" roared the Cap'n. "Don't ask
that jeebasted, fool question ag'in. I don't mean to be tetchy,
Louada Murilla," he went on, after a little pause, a bit of mildness
in his tone, "but you've got to make allowance for the way I feel.
The more I set and look at that toe the madder I git at myself. Oh,
I hadn't ought to have kicked that cousin of yourn, that's what I
hadn't!"

"You don't know how glad I am to hear you say that, Aaron," she cried,
with fervor. "I was afraid you hadn't repented."

"I ought to 'a' hit him with a club and saved my toe, that's what
I mean," he snorted, with grim viciousness.

She sighed, and he resumed his dismal survey of the liniment-soaked
rags.

"Once when I was--" he resumed, in a low growl, after a time.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're goin' to tell a story, Cap'n," she chirped,
welcoming his first return of good-nature since his mishap.

"There ain't no story to it," he snapped. "I only want to say that
there's a place down in Africa where I put in with the _Jefferson