"'Philip,' sez he, crouching jest like a hound, 'I hain't treated you well,' sez he, 'but as God is my witness, I didn't commit the murder. Hide me in the cock-loft of this 'ere mill till persecution's passed, and I tell you I'll be a better man.'
"Phil he give a great gulp, and jest then he heard his mother a-singing as she was gettin' his dinner. It seemed as though he couldn't help to save that mean lick-spittle that was a-kneelin' there, but Alice she kept on singing, and both on 'em heard her.
"'Don't tell her! Don't tell her!' sez Hardwick, a-tremblin' all over. Phil he thought a minnit, and then he made room for him to pass.
"'Climb up the ladder there, master,' sez he, 'and put a lot o' sawdust over ye. I'll go in and get ye something to eat.' Hardwick he climbed up behind the wheel mighty quick. So Phil he fixes the gearing, and goes in to dinner. I guess he looked pritty red, and the poor boy was a-cryin'.
"Sez Alice, 'Why, what's the matter, dear?'
"Sez he, 'Mother, don't you ask no questions. You can trust me, can't you?'
"'Yes, my boy,' sez Alice, as proud as could be.
"'Then give me a plate of dinner to carry to the mill, and ef I appear queer any time, you jest know that the time has come for paying good for evil.'
"Alice she looked at him a minnit, and then she cried too. She warn't one of the crying kind, but when she did go it, I tell you them sluiceways warn't nuthing to her, and so she kissed him, and give him the dinner. These two didn't need to talk; feelin's crept right out of their elbows towards one another. Somehow, I guess, they understood each other.
"'Twarn't an hour before the Sheriff and his posse they arrived to the mill. There Alice was a-sittin', sewin' as if butter would melt in her mouth, and Phil he was a-sawin' logs fit to kill.