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form 'em if you don't watch 'em." Then, suddenly breaking away from his moralizings, "Well, Abner, I've got Square Meredith to carry you over to Arntown with him. He'll be by in a minute. The Square's a good ol' man. He'll look after ye tull ye git a boardin' house an' collect your first week's wages, an' here's a couple o' dollars to run you tull then." The fat man drew two silver dollars from his pocket and handed them casually to the boy. As he did so the noise of a wagon drawing up in front of the office sounded through the door, and looking outside Abner saw a gray-haired teamster sitting on the hounds of his wagon frame driving two roan mules. As he came to a stop he called out in a cracked voice, "Got that there boy in there, Railroad?"

"Yeh, comin' right out," called the fat man, moving himself and his two guests in front of him toward the door. He extended a pudgy hand. "Well, Abner, I wish you well. You're startin' out now in life, an' I hope you'll git on with ever'body an' not have no trouble."

Abner swallowed at the lump pressing in his throat. "No, sir, I'll—try not," he managed to say.

Abner was staring at Mr. Sandage, who looked back at the boy he had reared. Again it did not seem possible to Abner that he really was separating himself finally from Mr. Sandage and Mrs. Sandage and Beatrice Belle. Mr. Sandage held out his hard hand and cleared his throat.

"Well, so long, Abner."

Abner pressed the poorhouse keeper's hand and swallowed.

"So long, Mr. Sandage."

"I'll have Mammy send over yore things by partial post, Abner."

"All right, Mr. Sandage."

"I reckon that'll be all right, won't it, Mr. Jones—jest direct it to Arntown?"

"Shore! Shore! agreed the fat man cheerfully, "Abner Teeftaller, Arntown, Tennessee. In a day or two you can go down to the post office an' call for yore things, Abner."

Abner nodded and said, "yes, sir," in a pinched voice.