get, too. I'd just carry her off or something. 'All's fair in love and
war.'"

"Them two's the same thing, sonny, but you don't know it yet," laughed
Uncle Amos. "It sounds mighty strong and brave to talk like you were a
giant or king, or something, and I only hope I'm livin' and here in
Crow Hill so I can see how you work that game of carryin' off the girl
you like. I'd like to see it, I'd sure like to see it!"

"Oh, Uncle Amos, tell us, did you ever go to see the girls?" asked
Amanda eagerly.

"Did I ever go to see the girls? Um-uh, I did!" The man laughed
suddenly. "I'll tell you about the first time. But now you just go on
with your snitzin'. I can't be breakin' up the party with my yarns. I
was just a young fellow workin' at home on the farm. Theje was a nice
girl over near Manheim I thought I'd like to know better, and so one
night I fixed up to try my luck and go see her. It was in fall and got
dark pretty early, and by the time I was done with the farm work and
dressed in my best suit and half-way over to her house, it was gettin'
dusk. Now I never knew what it was to be afraid till that year my old
Aunty Betz came to spend a month with us and began to tell her spook
stories. She had a long list of them. One was about a big black dog
that used to come in her room every night durin' full moon and put its
paws on her bed. But when she tried to touch it there was nothing
there, and if she'd get up and light the light it would vanish. She
said she always thought he wanted to show her something, take her to
where there was some gold buried, but she never could get the dog to do
it, for she always lighted the light and that scared him away. Then she
said one time they moved into a little house, and once when they had a