always was skeered of drunken men."

"I'm not," said Mary, stoutly. "You go on up in my room and lock the
door; I'm going to stay here and keep him from messing up this
kitchen. I want to tell him what I think of him, anyhow. I just hate
that man! I believe you do, too, Miss Hazy."

Miss Hazy wept afresh. "Well, he ain't my kind, Mary. I know I'd
hadn't orter marry him, but it 'pears like ever' woman sorter wants to
try gittin' married oncet anyways. I never would 'a' done it, though,
if Mrs. Wiggs hadn't 'a' sicked me on."

By this time Mr. Stubbins had reached the yard, and Miss Hazy fled.
Lovey Mary barricaded Tommy in a corner with his playthings and met
the delinquent at the door. Her eyes blazed and her cheeks were
aflame. This modern David had no stones and sling to slay her Goliath;
she had only a vocabulary full of stinging words which she hurled
forth with indignation and scorn. Mr. Stubbins had evidently been
abused before, for he paid no attention to the girl's wrath. He passed
jauntily to the stove and tried to pour a cup of coffee; the hot
liquid missed the cup and streamed over his wrist and hand. Howling
with pain and swearing vociferously, he flung the coffee-pot out of
the window, kicked a chair across the room, then turned upon Tommy,
who was adding shrieks of terror to the general uproar. "Stop that
infernal yelling!" he cried savagely, as he struck the child full in
the face with his heavy hand.

Lovey Mary sprang forward and seized the poker. All the passion of her
wild little nature was roused. She stole up behind him as he knelt
before Tommy, and lifted the poker to strike. A pair of terrified blue