about　fifty；　wearing　the　inevitable　long；　double…breasted
  frock　coat　of　the　Southern　lawmaker；　and　an　old　high
  silk　hat；　was　passing　on　the　opposite　sidewalk。　　As
  Garvey　looked；　Goree　glanced　at　his　face。　　If　there　be
  such　a　thing　as　a　yellow　wolf；　here　was　its　counterpart。
  Garvey　snarled　as　his　unhuman　eyes　followed　the　moving
  figure；　disclosing　long；　amber…coloured　fangs。
  〃Is　that　him？　　Why；　that's　the　man　who　sent　me　to
  the　penitentiary　once！〃
  〃He　used　to　be　district　attorney；〃　said　Goree　care…
  lessly。　　〃And；　by　the　way；　he's　a　first…class　shot。〃
  〃I　kin　hit　a　squirrel's　eye　at　a　hundred　yard；〃　said
  Garvey。　　〃So　that　thar's　Coltrane！　　I　made　a　better
  trade　than　I　was　thinkin'。　　I'll　take　keer　ov　this　feud；
  Mr。　Goree；　better'n　you　ever　did！〃
  He　moved　toward　the　door；　but　lingered　there；　betray…
  ing　a　slight　perplexity。
  〃Anything　else　to…day？〃　　inquired　Goree　with　frothy
  sarcasm。　　〃Any　family　traditions；　ancestral　ghosts；　or
  skeletons　in　the　closet？　　Prices　as　low　as　the　lowest。〃
  〃Thar　was　another　thing；〃　replied　the　unmoved　squirrel
  hunter；　〃that　Missis　Garvey　was　thinkin'　of。　　'Tain't
  so　much　in　my　line　as　t'other；　but　she　wanted　partic'lar
  that　I　should　inquire；　and　ef　you　was　willin'；　'pay　fur　it；'
  she　says；　'fa'r　and　squar'。'　Thar's　a　buryin'　groun'；
  as　you　know；　Mr。　Goree；　in　the　yard　of　yo'　old　place；
  under　the　cedars。　　Them　that　lies　thar　is　yo'　folks　what
  was　killed　by　the　Coltranes。　　The　monyments　has　the
  names　on　'em。　　Missis　Garvev　says　a　fam'ly　buryin'
  groun'…　is　a　sho'　sign　of　quality。　　She　says　ef　we　git　the
  feud　thar's　somethin'　else　ought　to　go　with　it。　　The
  names　on　them　moiivments　is　'Goree；'　but　they　can　be
  changed　to　ourn　by　　〃
  〃Go。　　Go！〃　　screamed　Goree；　his　face　turning　purple。
  He　stretched　out　both　hands　toward　the　mountaineer；
  his　fingers　hooked　and　shaking。　　〃Go；　you　ghoul！　　Even　a
  Ch…Chinaman　protects　the　g…graves　of　his　ancestors　　go！〃
  The　squirrel　hunter　slouched　out　of　the　door　to　his
  carryall。　　While　he　was　climbing　over　the　wheel　Goree
  was　collecting；　with　feverish　celerity；　the　money　that　had
  fallen　from　his　hand　to　the　floor。　　As　the　vehicle　slowly
  turned　about；　the　sheep；　with　a　coat　of　newly　grown
  wool；　was　hurrying；　in　indecent　haste；　along　the　path　to
  the　court…house。
  At　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　they　brought　him　back
  to　his　office；　shorn　and　unconscious。　　The　sheriff；　the
  sportive　deputy；　the　county　clerk；　and　the　gay　attorney
  carried　him；　the　chalk…faced　man　〃from　the　valley〃
  acting　as　escort。
  〃On　the　table；〃　said　one　of　them；　and　they　deposited
  him　there　among　the　litter　of　his　unprofitable　books　and
  papers。
  〃Yance　thinks　a　lot　of　a　pair　of　deuces　when　he's
  liquored　up；〃　sighed　the　sheriff　reflectively。
  〃Too　much；〃　said　the　gay　attorney。　　〃A　man　has　no
  business　to　play　poker　who　drinks　as　much　as　he　does。　　I
  wonder　how　much　he　dropped　to…night。〃
  〃Close　to　two　hundred。　　What　I　wonder　is　whar　he
  got　it。　　Yance　ain't　had　a　cent　fur　over　a　month；　I
  know。〃
  〃Struck　a　client；　maybe。　　Well；　let's　get　home　before
  daylight。　　He'll　be　all　right　when　he　wakes　up；　except
  for　a　sort　of　beehive　about　the　cranium。〃
  The　gang　slipped　away　through　the　early　morning
  twilight。　　The　next　eye　to　gaze　upon　the　miserable　Goree
  was　the　orb　of　day。　　He　peered　through　the　uncurtained
  window；　first　deluging　the　sleeper　in　a　flood　of　faint　gold；
  but　soon　pouring　upon　the　mottled　red　of　his　flesh　a
  searching；　white；　summer　heat。　　Goree　stirred；　half
  unconsciously；　among　the　table's　d閎ris；　and　turned　his
  face　from　the　window。　　His　movement　dislodged　a　heavy
  law　book；　which　crashed　upon　the　floor。　　Opening　his
  eyes；　he　saw；　bending　over　him；　a　man　in　a　black　frock
  coat。　　Looking　higher；　he　discovered　a　well…worn　silk
  hat；　and　beneath　it　the　kindly；　smooth　face　of　Colonel
  Abner　Coltrane。
  A　little　uncertain　of　the　outcome；　the　colonel　waited　for
  the　other　to　make　some　sign　of　recognition。　　Not　in
  twenty　years　had　male　members　of　these　two　families
  faced　each　other　in　peace。　　Goree's　eyelids　puckered　as
  he　strained　his　blurred　sight　toward　this　visitor；　and　then
  he　smiled　serenely。
  〃Have　you　brought　Stella　and　Lucy　over　to　play？〃
  he　said　calmly。
  〃Do　you　know　me；　Yancey？〃　　asked　Coltrane。
  〃Of　course　I　do。　　You　brought　me　a　whip　with　a
  whistle　in　the　end。〃
  So　he　had　　twenty…four　years　ago；　when　Yancey's
  father　was　his　best　friend。
  Goree's　eyes　wandered　about　the　room。　　The　colonel
  understood。　　〃Lie　still；　and　I'll　bring　you　some；〃　said　he。
  There　was　a　pump　in　the　yard　at　the　rear；　and　Goree
  closed　his　eyes；　listening　with　rapture　to　the　click　of　its
  handle；　and　the　bubbling　of　the　falling　stream。　　Col…
  trane　brought　a　pitcher　of　the　cool　water；　and　held　it　for
  him　to　drink。　　Presently　Goree　sat　up　　a　most　forlorn
  object；　his　summer　suit　of　flax　soiled　and　crumpled；　his
  discreditable　head　tousled　and　unsteady。　　He　tried　to
  wave　one　of　his　hands　toward　the　colonel。
  〃Ex…excuse…everything；　will　you？〃　　he　said。　　〃I
  must　have　drunk　too　much　whiskey　last　night；　and　gone
  to　bed　on　the　table。〃　　His　brows　knitted　into　a　puzzled
  frown。
  〃Out　with　the　boys　awhile？〃　　asked　Coltrane　kindly。
  〃No；　I　went　nowhere。　　I　haven't　had　a　dollar　to　spend
  in　the　last　two　months。　　Struck　the　demijohn　too　often。
  I　reckon；　as　usual。〃
  Colonel　Coltrane　touched　him　on　the　shoulder。
  〃A　little　while　ago；　Yancey；〃　he　began；　〃you　asked
  me　if　I　had　brought　Stella　and　Lucy　over　to　play。　　You
  weren't　quite　awake　then；　and　must　have　been　dreaming
  you　were　a　boy　again。　　You　are　awake　now；　and　I　want
  you　to　listen　to　me。　　I　have　come　from　Stella　and　Lucy
  to　their　old　playmate；　and　to　my　old　friend's　son。　　They
  know　that　I　am　going　to　bring　you　home　with　me；　and　you
  will　find　them　as　ready　with　a　welcome　as　they　were　in
  the　old　days。　　I　want　you　to　come　to　my　house　and　stay
  until　you　are　yourself　aain；　and　as　much　longer　as　you
  will。　　We　heard　of　your　being　down　in　the　world；　and　in
  the　midst　of　temptation；　and　we　agreed　that　you　should
  come　over　and　play　at　our　house　once　more。　　Will　you
  come；　my　boy？　　Will　you　drop　our　old　family　trouble
  and　come　with　me？〃
  〃Trouble！〃　　said　Goree；　opening　his　eyes　wide。　　〃There
  was　never　any　trouble　between　us　that　I　know　of。　　I'm
  sure　we've　always　been　the　best　friends。　　But；　good　Lord；
  Colonel；　how　could　I　go　to　your　home　as　I　am　　a
  drunken　wretch；　a　miserable；　degraded　spendthrift　and
  gambler　　〃
  He　lurched　from　the　table　into　his　armchair；　and
  began　to　weep　maudlin　tears；　mingled　with　genuine　drops
  of　remorse　and　shame。　　Coltrane　talked　to　him　persist…
  ently　and　reasonably；　reminding　him　of　the　simple　moun…
  tain　pleasures　of　which　he　had　once　been　so　fond；　and
  insisting　upon　the　genuineness　of　the　invitation。
  Finally　he　landed　Goree　by　telling　him　he　was　counting
  upon　his　help　in　the　engineering　and　transportation　of　a
  large　amount　of　felled　timber　from　a　high　mountain…side
  to　a　waterway。　　He　knew　that　Goree　had　once　invented
  a　device　for　this　purpose　　a　series　of　slides　and　chutes…
  upon　which　he　had　justly　prided　himself。　　In　an　instant
  the　poor　fellow；　delighted　at　the　idea　of　his　being　of　use
  to　any　one；　had　paper　spread　upon　the　table；　and　was
  drawing　rapid　but　pitifully　shaky　lines　in　demonstration
  of　what　he　could　and　would　do。
  The　man　was　sickened　of　the　husks；　his　prodigal　heart
  was　turning　again　toward　the　mountains。　　His　mind　was
  yet　strangely　clogged；　and　his　thoughts　and　memories
  were　returning　to　his　brain　one　by　one；　like　carrier　pigeons
  over　a　stormy　sea。　　But　Coltrane　was　satisfied　with　the
  progress　he　had　made。
  Bethel　received　the　surprise　of　its　existence　that　after…
  noon　when　a　Coltrane　and　a　Goree　rode　amicably　together
  through　the　town。　　Side　by　side　they　rode；　out　from　the
  dusty　streets　and　gaping　townspeople；　down　across　the
  creek　bridge；　and　up　toward　the　mountain。　　The　prodigal
  had　brushed　and　washed　and　combed　himself　to　a　more
  decent　figure；　but　he　was　unsteady　in　the　saddle；　and　he
  seemed　to　be　deep　in　the　contemplation　of　some　vexing
  problem。　　Coltrane　left　him　in　his　mood；　relying　upon　the
  influence　of　changed　surroundings　to　restore　his
  equilibrium。
  Once　Goree　was　seized　with　a　shaking　fit；　and　almost
  came　to　a　collapse。　　He　had　to　dismount　and　rest　at　the
  side　of　the　road。　　The　colonel；　foreseeing　such　a　con…
  dition；　had　provided　a　small　flask　of　whisky　for　the　journey
  but　when　it　was　offered　to　him　Goree　refused　it　almost
  with　violence；　declaring　he　would　never　touch　it　again。
  By　and　by　he　was　recovered；　and　went　quietly　enough
  for　a　mile　or　two。　　Then　he　pulled　up　his　horse　suddenly；
  and　said：
  〃I　lost　two　hundred　dollars　last　night；　playing　poker。
  Now；　where　did　I　get　that　money？〃
  〃Take　it　easy；　Yancev。　　The　mountain　air　will　soon
  clear　it　up。　　We'll　go　fis