rattle and a whir inside the mill told him that the hopper was
empty. He arose to fill it, and coming out again, he heard
hoof-beats on the dirt road. A stranger rode around the
rhododendrons and shouted to him, asking the distance to Hazlan.
He took off his hat when Isom answered, to wipe the dust and
perspiration from his face, and the boy saw a white scar across his
forehead. A little awestricken, the lad walked towards him.

"Air you the new rider whut's goin' to preach up to Hazlan? " he
asked.

Raines smiled at the solemnity of the little fellow. " Yes," he said,
kindly. " Won't you come up and hear me?"

"Yes, sir," he said, and his lips parted as though he wanted to say
something else, but Raines did not notice.

"I wished I had axed him," he said, watching the preacher ride
away. " Uncle Gabe knows might' nigh ever'thing, 'n' he says so.
Crump said the rider said so; but Crump might 'a' been lyin'. He
'most al'ays is. I wished I had axed him."

Mechanically the lad walked along the millrace, which was made
of hewn boards and hollow logs. In every crevice grass hung in
thick bunches to the ground or tipped wiry blades over the running
water. Tightening a prop where some silvery jet was getting too
large, he lifted the tail-gate a trifle and lay down again on the
platform near the old wheel. Out in the mill-pond the water would
break now and then into ripples about some unwary moth, and the
white belly of a fish would flash from the surface. It was the only