want to rise in the mornin'?"

"When you do. I'm no hand to lie in bed."

"You'll have to crawl out with the chickens then."

"Luke!"

Bradley turned at the door. "What is it, John?"

"I don't like Wambush's looks."

Bradley laughed, with his hand over his mouth. "Nobody else does to
hurt."

"Do you think he would trifle with the affections of a young girl?"

"Would he?" Again Bradley laughed.

"Well, I reckon he would; he is a bad man, I tell you. We'd never 'low
him to enter our house, ef we could help it, but he'd raise the very
devil ef he was slighted. We'd never heer the end of it. Ef we'd left
'im out to-night I'd 'a' had 'im to fight out thar in the front yard
while the party was goin' on. I wouldn't mind it much, but my wife
never wanted me in a row."

"This girl he was with to-night, has she father or brothers?"

"No, the's jest her an' 'er mother."