“A man ain’t no older than he feels,” says I.
“Then I’m a million. Got rheumatics and them ropes didn’t he’p it none. Adios.”
“Now,” says Hashknife, “I hope he gets out free of charge, ’cause I ain’t got no more time to monkey with him.”
We swung into Sillman’s gate and rode up to the house. I reckon Glory seen us ride into the place, ’cause she comes out the front door to meet us and the first thing she says is—
“Where’s Buddy?”
It don’t take Hashknife long to tell her what happened to Buddy and how we found the old preacher.
“Where’s your pa?” I asks.
“In town, I reckon. Council meeting called, I think. They met here last night, but I didn’t get any chance to hear what was said. They’re all suspicious of me. Sim Sellers wants me to be punished for assisting Eph’s wife, and him and dad had a run-in over it. Sim growled at me when they came and I told him that Lem was a growler and look what he got.
“Sim ain’t no better than a savage, and he said he’d eat your heart out if he got a chance. I told him he better get some extra teeth ’cause he might lose what he’s got. I thought that dad would give me —— for sayin’ it, but he didn’t. He asked me where I left my rifle, and I told him I left it in a good cause.”
“Glory,” says Hashknife, “do yuh know why I didn’t marry yuh that time?”