"What have you done to my cow, Mark Manning?" said the deacon, coming up to him.
"You are mistaken, sir," said Mark, with dignity. "I have just come up, and this is the condition in which I found Whitey."
"What's that you are carryin' in your hand?" demanded the deacon, sternly.
"My gun."
"I am glad you are willin' to tell the truth. I didn't know but you'd say it was a hoe," exploded the deacon in angry irony.
"Your cow has received no injury from my gun, if that's what you're hinting at, Deacon Miller."
"Let me take the gun!"
In some surprise Mark put it into his hands. The deacon raised it, and pulled the trigger.
No report was heard. The gun was not loaded.