Rufe was big and good-natured, and unsuspected of resolute
purpose, and the Lewallens' power had weakened. So, now that
Rufe was gone again, the old miller half believed he was gone for
good. Nobody was hurt; there was a chance yet for peace, and with
a rebuke on his tongue and relief in his face, the old man sat back
in his chair and went on whittling. The boy turned eagerly to a
crevice in the logs and, trembling with excitement, searched the
other bank for Jasper's gray horse, going home.

He called me a idgit," he said to himself, with a threatening shake
of his head. "Jes wouldn't I like to hev a chance at him! Rome ull
git him! Rome ull git him!"

There was no moving point of white on the broad face of the
mountains nor along the river road. Jasper was yet to come and,
with ears alert to every word behind him, the lad fixed his eyes
where he should see him first.

"Oh, he didn't mean to hit me. Not that he ain't mean enough to
shoot from the bresh," Rome broke out savagely. "That's jes whut
I'm afeard he will do. Thar was too much daylight fer him. Ef he
jes don't come a-sneakin' over hyeh, 'n' waitin' in the lorrel atter
dark fer me, it's all I axe."

Waitin' in the lorrel! " Old Gabe could hold back no longer. "Hit's
a shame, a burn-in' shame! I don' know whut things air comm' to!
'Pears like all you young folks think about is killin' somebody.
Folks usen to talk about how fer they could kill a deer; now it's
how fer they kin kill a man. I hev knowed the time when a man
would 'a' been druv out o' the county fer drawin' a knife ur a pistol;