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"Lord! Lord! Lord!" The Squire looked up at the heavens in genuine dismay, "What a daughter! What a daughter! I don't see where in the worl' you inherited such corruptness of heart—an' this present dispensation nearly finished, too!"

By this time it grew clear to Abner that he was listening to a quarrel which would go on indefinitely. He finally interrupted: "Well, I guess I better be goin' back. I jest come out fer a—er—little walk." He glanced about vaguely as if searching for one.

A moment's silence. Then Mary Lou asked belligerently, "When is it to be, Abner?"

"To-night," replied the youth in a hurried tone.

"Tell him yes," snapped Mary Lou.

"What!" shouted the Squire, outraged. "No, you don't, Abner Teeftaller!" He shook a finger wildly in the air. "You tell that young man if he shows up here, I'll—I'll—Mary Lou! You go right back in that house! Go on back! You're not goin' off with that scapegrace Peck Bradley!"

"It ain't Peck!" screamed Mary Lou. "It's Mr. Beavers! An' he's a gentleman, ever' inch of him! I only wish you had half the polish an' manners . . ."

"You're not goin'!"

"You tell Tug I said yes, Abner!"

"Lord! Lord!" cried the justice, "this is goin' to be a purty howdedo! I saw that Peck Bradley hangin' aroun' my barn the other night!"

"Don't you bother yore head about that!" advised the daughter harshly.

"But there's goin' to be trouble over it, don't I know it!"

"Well, it'll be Peck's trouble! Mr. Beavers can fan out a fiel' full o' Peck Bradleys. He's ten times as stout as Peck ever dared be!"

This last came faintly to Abner as he walked rapidly away. He heard Squire Meredith make some angry answer; the girl replied; he left the feud in progress.