from the landlord, and when the beast was brought around, he
overheard two men talking at the end of the porch.

"You don't mean to say they've made peace?"

"Yes, Rufe's going away agin and they shuk hands--all of 'em." The
other laughed.

"Rufe ain't gone yit!"

The Cumberland River was rain-swollen. The home-going people were
helping each other across it and, as Hale approached the ford of a
creek half a mile beyond the river, a black-haired girl was
standing on a boulder looking helplessly at the yellow water, and
two boys were on the ground below her. One of them looked up at
Hale:

"I wish ye'd help this lady 'cross."

"Certainly," said Hale, and the girl giggled when he laboriously
turned his old mule up to the boulder. Not accustomed to have
ladies ride behind him, Hale had turned the wrong side. Again he
laboriously wheeled about and then into the yellow torrent he went
with the girl behind him, the old beast stumbling over the stones,
whereat the girl, unafraid, made sounds of much merriment. Across,
Hale stopped and said courteously:

"If you are going up this way, you are quite welcome to ride on."

"Well, I wasn't crossin' that crick jes' exactly fer fun," said