"Oh, I cannot marry this hag."
"Not this hag, but yo' own true love, Brother Mayberry. Come, whut do you say?"
The preacher dropped upon his knees. The woman advanced a few steps. The preacher heard some one at the door. Was it the justice of the peace whom the woman had under her control? A man stepped into the room.
"What does this mean?" he asked
"This horrible creature is going to kill me if I don't marry her," the preacher replied. "Are you the justice of the peace?"
The man laughed. "No, I'm no 'squire. Goin' ter kill you, eh? But what with?"
"That awful horse-pistol."
"That's no pistol. It's simply a stick. W'y this is one of her favorite games. Kill you! Why she never hurt a thing in her life."
"How about Patterson's boy?" the preacher asked.
"He's all right. I seed him this mawnin'."