"You'll get it," said Muldoon, "in de sweet by-and-bye - all de
apology you've any use for. Excuse me interruptin' you, Mr. Rod,
but I'm like Tweezy - I've a Southern drawback in me hind legs."

"Naow, I want you all here to take notice, an' you'll learn
something," Rod went on. "This yaller-backed skate comes to our
pastur'-"

"Not havin' paid his board," put in Tedda.

"Not havin' earned his board, an' talks smooth to us abaout ripplin'
brooks an' wavin' grass, an' his high-toned, pure-souled horsehood,
which don't hender him sheddin' women an' childern, an' fallin' over
the dash onter men. You heard his talk, an' you thought it mighty
fine, some o' you."

Tuck looked guilty here, but she did not say anything.

"Bit by bit he goes on ez you have heard."

"I was talkin' in the abstrac'," said the yellow horse, in an
altered voice.

"Abstrac' be switched! Ez I've said, it's this yer blamed abstrac'
business that makes the young uns cut up in the Concord; an' abstrac'
or no abstrac', he crep' on an' on till he come to killin' plain an'
straight - killin' them as never done him no harm, jest beca'se they
owned horses."