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him! The teamster began cursing softly under his breath, "The God-damn yellow cur . . ."

Abner met Zed Parrum. Zed officially lived in the country, but he stayed in the village most of the time and visited the home of his wife at intervals.

Abner passed a brief "Hidy" and then rapped out, "Zed, what do you think about Peck Bradley?"

Zed was surprised at this question, but cocked his head to one side, gave it consideration, and finally brought out the information that he thought Peck was a "lallapaloosa."

"Do you think he done right shootin' Tug Beavers after Tug licked him in a fair fight?" demanded Abner hotly.

"Now, Abner," philosophized Zed, "you see Tug hisse'f had jest committed the unpardonable sin."

"Unpardonable hell!" flared Abner.

"You ain't mad at me, air you, Abner?"

"Naw, but where'd you git any sich idee?"

"Well—me an' Pap Tolbert was talkin' about it, an' he said Tug had rejected the pleadin's of the Holy Ghost and that was the unpardonable sin."

"What had ol' man Shelton done when Peck killed him? He was a good ol' man, a deacon in the church."

Zed rubbed an unshaven jaw. "I don't know as he done nothin', but God may of been jest whettin' Peck up gittin' ready to land on Tug."

"By Geemeny, God's plan of punishment is mighty loose in the steering gear, runnin' into ol' man Shelton first—a good ol' man."

"His mysteries are past findin' out," quoted Zed reverently.

"Well, of course, that's so," admitted Abner, who at heart was as good a religionist as any of the hill folk. "But now here I got ye, 'As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.'"

"What you mean by that?"

"Haven't you heard Tug say many a time he wanted to throw his influence on the right side?"

"Well, yeh, I b'lieve I have."