writhed in a mocking smile, as he stood confronting Peleg and Abner,
and looking first at one and then at the other:

"Ef I don' furgit," he said at length, "that's 'baout the way I talked
wen the war wuz a goin on, an if I rekullec, ye, Peleg, an ye, Abner
Rathbun and Meshech Little, thar on the floor, tuk arter me with yer
guns and dorgs caze ye said I wuz a dum Tory. An ye hunted me on
Stockbridge mounting like a woodchuck, an ye'd a hed my skelp fer
sartin ef I hadn't been a durn sight smarter 'n ye ever wuz."

"Jabez," said Abner, "I hope ye don' hev no hard feelin's. Times be
changed. Let by gones be by gones."

"Mos' folks ud say I hed some call to hev hard feelin's. Ye druv me
ter hide in caves, an holes, fer the best part o' tew year. I dass'n
come hum tew see my wife die, nor tew bury on her. Ye confiscated my
house and tuk my crops fer yer derned army. Mos' folks ud sartingly
say ez I hed call tew hev hard feelin's agin' ye. But gosh, I hain't,
an wy hain't I? Gaze ye hev been yer own wust enemies; ye've hurt
yerselves more ner ye hev me, though ye didn't go fer ter dew it.
Pooty nigh all on ye, as fit agen the King, is beggars naow, or next
door tew it. Everybudy hez a kick fer a soldier. Ye'll fine em mosly
in the jails an the poorhaouses. Look at you fellers as wuz a huntin
me. Ther's Meshech on the floor, a drunken, worthless cuss. Thar ye
be, Abner, 'thout a shillin in the world, nor a foot o' lan', yer
dad's farm gone fer taxes. An thar be ye, Peleg. Wal Peleg, they dew
say, ez the neighbors sends ye in things."

Jabez looked from one to the other till he had sufficiently enjoyed
their discomfiture and then he continued: