The villager exploded in a loud guffaw at this, and, after a vigorous shaking of his sides and slapping his thighs, said, between the gasps and swallows which were distressing him:
"Why, she—well, thet's—by jiminy—well, heng it, she was a wash an' scrub woman, an' the neighburs buri'd her."
By this time Levi had obtained the mastery of himself, and laughed heartily, apparently, as he said:
"He was a very tall liar, and he fooled us all. Lord, how we used to envy him when he told of his rich mother, that she was mighty fine-looking and could write such beautiful letters, and all that! Guess it was all a lie, eh?"
"Couldn't write her own name; never went to school in her life."
Matthi and Cassi were becoming restless, and their black looks attracted the villager's attention. The brothers had met him just at the beginning of a street, and were able to have this conversation with him alone; but presently two or three curious men came up to learn the reason of the visit of the stalwart strangers.
"These fellers knowed Gill somewheres, an' they thought he was livin' here. Guess from the looks uv two uv 'em it wouldn't go easy fer him ef they was ter git their han's on him."
The villager vouchsafed this explanation to his fellow-townsmen.
"Well, we have got a crow to pick with him if we happen to find him," said Levi, who persisted in talking for himself and his brothers, feeling he could not trust them, they were so angry.
"Where yer from?" asked one of the new-comers.