“'Why, you see, Jim,' Jeff said, leanin' on the gate, 'me an' you have always sorter been at outs, an' bein' as we are nigh neighbors ag'in I thought I'd come forward like a man an' tell you that, as far as I'm concerned, I'm sorry we hain't been able to git on better before this, an' that I hain't no ill-will any longer, an' am willin' to stack arms and declare peace.'”
“Good for Jeff!” Paul chuckled; “he unloaded, didn't he?”
“You wait till I git through,” Amanda tittered under her red, crinkled hand. “When Jeff got that out Hoag sorter lifted his reins, shoved his heels ag'in' his hoss an' snorted. Then I heerd 'im say: 'You look out for yourself, an' I'll do the same.'
“He was movin' on, when Jeff fairly wrenched the gate off its hinges an' plunged out. In a second he had the hoss by the bridle, an' was jerkin' it back on its haunches.
“'Say,' he yelled at Hoag, when the hoss got still, 'that thar's the fust an' only apology I ever made to a livin' man, an' if you don't accept it, and accept it quick, I'll have you off that hoss an' under my feet, whar I'll stomp some politeness into you.'
“Lord, I was scared!” Amanda continued, as she joined in her nephew's laugh; “for Jim Hoag was mad enough to eat a keg o' nails without chawin' 'em. I was on the p'int o' runnin' 'twixt the two when Hoag sobered down.”
“'I don't want no trouble with you, Jeff,' he said. 'Let loose my bridle. I want to go on home.' “'Well, do you accept? I heard Jeff yellin' at 'im, while he still hung to the reins.
“'Yes, I accept; I don't want no fuss,' Hoag said, an' Jeff let the hoss loose an' stood out o' the way.
“'It's a good thing you changed your mind,' he called after Hoag, who was joggin' on. 'I've sorter turned over a new leaf, but I hain't fastened it down any too tight. I could put up with some things from you, but you can't spit on my apology.'”
Paul laughed almost immoderately. “Socrates and Jesus Christ would have laid down different rules for human conduct if they had known those two men,” he said, as he went to the rear door and looked down toward his mother.