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as if the very thought of the fall opening wearied her, and her bosom lifted and fell beneath her rather deeply cut blouse.

The expressiveness of this bodily gesture brought home to Abner that the girl really was tired. A protective feeling toward her arose in the teamster and filled him with a dim trouble. It also took his mind from the thread of conversation which held them momentarily secure in each other's presence. The seconds ticked off. The silence arose like a wall, separating them once more. In desperation Abner was about to tell the girl that one of his mules had flung off a shoe that morning. He was on the verge of this when Nessie said:

"I saw you walk by the Grand to-day."

"Did you?" asked Abner gratefully.

"Yes, Mr. Northcutt was in there talking to Mr. Baxter about the boys shooting up the church Sunday night."

Abner became genuinely interested. "What did they say?"

"Mr. Baxter said if they found out who did it the lawyers up at Lanesburg would get them right out—I guess they would, too, you can't depend much on the law to help anything," added Nessie thoughtfully.

A trickle of uneasiness went through the teamster; he lowered his voice a trifle and asked, "Did you tell 'em what you knowed, Nessie?"

The girl was shocked. "Goodness, no! I was so afraid they'd ask me—I couldn't tell a story, and I wouldn't told who done it either. I was jest sitting there scringin', wonderin' what in the world I'd say if they ast me, when Mr. Northcutt said when the courts failed a community, God would help 'em."

The teamster stared at the girl blankly. "What did he mean?"

"He's plannin' to have Brother Blackman come over from Cypress Creek and hold a protracted meetin'. I hope he will. It would give a person somewhere to go, and then we need it."

This last phrase was said rather pointedly, but Abner