"Thet's what we seeks ter find out. With Caleb dead an' gone, no man kin handily foretell what ther Thorntons aims ter do—an' without we knows we kain't breathe free."
"Why does ye come ter me?"
"Because folks tells hit thet ther old man named ye ter stand in his stead—an' ef ye does thet we hev need ter put some questions up ter ye."
"I hain't said I sought no leadership—but speak right out fer yoreselves," invited Maggard.
"All right. We knows thet ye come hyar from somewhars else—an' we don't know whar from. Because ye're old Caleb's heir, what ye does an' what ye says gets ter be mighty pithy an' pertinent ter us."
"I've done come ter kinderly reelize that, myself, hyar of late."
"Ye comes from Virginny, folks says; air thet true?"
"Thet's true."
"An' ye give one name when ye come an' tuck another atter ye'd been hyar a while, air thet true likewise?"
Maggard stiffened but he bowed his head in assent.