This time the big fellow needed no urging. With Sammy looking on,
he could not resist the opportunity which Ollie himself had
presented. Without a word, but with a quick tightening of the
lips, he stepped forward and caught Jed by the belt with his right
hand; and then, before anyone could guess his purpose, he reached
out with his other hand, and grasped Ollie himself in the same
manner. There was a short step forward, a quick upward swing, and
the giant held a man in each hand at full arm's length above his
head. Amid the shouts of the crowd, still holding the men, he
walked deliberately to the blacksmith shop and back; then lowering
them easily to their feet, turned to his engine.

Ollie and Sammy rode away together, up the green arched road, and
the little company in the mill shed stood watching them. As the
finely formed young woman and her inferior escort passed from
sight, a tall mountaineer, from the other side of Compton Ridge,
remarked, "I done heard Preachin' Rill say t'other day, that
'mighty nigh all this here gee-hawin', balkin', and kickin'
'mongst th' married folks comes 'cause th' teams ain't matched up
right.' Bill he 'lowed God 'lmighty 'd fixed hit somehow so th'
birds an' varmints don't make no mistake, but left hit plumb easy
for men an' women t' make durned fools o' theirselves."

Everybody grinned in appreciation, and another spoke up;
"According t' that, I'll bet four bits if them two yonder ever do
get into double harness, there'll be pieces o' th' outfit strung
from th' parson's clean t' th' buryin' ground."

When the laughter had subsided, Buck turned to see Young Matt