"God bless Tildy!" was Abner's unexpected prayer. "I had no idea that she took sich an interest in me. Guess she's had a change of heart, all right. Now, set down, ladies, I want to say somethin'. There, that's more sociable," he added, when they were once again seated. "Now, look here, ladies, I don't want yez to go away with the notion that I'm luney. I was jist foolin' yez when I stood on that chair an' walked around Miss Julia. Yez thought mebbe I was crazy, but I was only havin' a little fun. Tildy is anxious about me 'cause I've got into trouble lately, an' a pretty bad mess it is over that Joe Preston affair. Then, I've got five little kids on me hands to clothe and feed. Dear knows, it's enough to turn any man's head. But my head's all right, as fer as the Lord made it right, though Tildy sometimes thinks He got tired before he was through. But that's neither here nor there. My head's as it 'tis, an' 'tis no 'tiser. That's all, ladies, an' so I bid yez good afternoon, an' thank yez kindly fer a very pleasant time. May yez all have a change of heart soon, an' think of me sometimes as I think of yez allus, yours most lovingly an' remarkably, Abner Andrews, of Ash Pint."
With his left hand pressed to his heart, he gave a profound, sweeping bow, and, turning, left the women puzzled and speechless.
CHAPTER XXI
HARD OF HEARING
"Hello, Lost Tribes. What are ye makin'?"
Zeb looked quickly around, and seeing Abner standing in the doorway, a smile overspread his face.
"Glad to see ye," he replied. "Feelin' better, eh?"
"I haven't been sick. What are ye givin' me, Zeb?"
"Ye haven't, eh? Well, from all accounts, ye've been up to queer pranks of late. How did the sewin'-circle come along?"
"Oh, I see," and Abner sat down upon a box. "Ye've been hearin' somethin'."