my own kin, 'n' tuk away all my hate ag'in' yourn. I couldn't fight
fer thinkin' I was fightin' you, 'n' when I seed ye comm' through the
bushes jes now, so white 'n' sickly-like, I couldn't hardly git breath,
a-thinkin' I was the cause of all yer misery. That's all!" He
stretched out his arms. Shoot, gal, ef ye don't believe me. I'd jes as
lieve die, ef ye thinks I'm lyin' to ye, 'n' ef ye hates me fer whut I
hain't done."

The gun had fallen to the earth. The girl, trembling at the knees,
sank to her seat on the porch, and, folding her arms against the
pillar, pressed her forehead against them, her face unseen. Rome
stooped to pick up the weapon.

"I'm goin' 'way now," he went on, slowly, after a little pause, "but I
couldn't leave hyeh without seem' you. I wanted ye to know the
truth, 'n' I 'lowed y'u'd believe me ef I tol' ye myself. I've been
a-waitin' thar in the lorrel fer ye sence mornin'. Uncle Gabe tol' me
ye come hyeh ever' day. He says I've got to go. I've been hopin' I
mought come out o' the bushes some day. But Uncle Gabe says
ever'body's ag'in' me more' n ever, 'n' that the soldiers mean to
ketch me. The gov'ner out thar in the settlements says as how he'll
give five hundred dollars fer me, livin' or dead. He'll nuver git me
livin'-I've swore that-'n' as I hev done nothin' sech as folks on both
sides hev done who air walkin' roun' free, I hain't goin' to give up.
Hit's purty hard to leave these mount'ins. Reckon I'll nuver see 'em
ag'in. Been livin' like a catamount over thar on the knob. I could
jes see you over hyeh, 'n' I reckon I hain't done much 'cept lay over
thar on a rock 'n' watch ye movin' round. Hit's mighty good to feel
that ye believe me, 'n' I want ye to know that I been stayin' over
thar fer nothin' on earth but jes to see you ag'in; 'n' I want ye to