"The jedge an' I laid off at Cairo when you-all went on through.

Next day, along comes a steamer from up-river, an' she's full of northern men, headed west; a damned sight more like a fightin' army than so many settlers.

They're goin' out into the purairie country beyant, an' _I_ think it's just on the early-bird principle, to hold it ag'inst settlers from this state.

They're a lot of those damned black abolitionists, that's what they are! What's more, that Lily gal of the jedge's here, she's got away agin--she turned up missin' at Cairo, too--an' she taken up with this bunch of Yankees, an' is mighty apt to git clar off." Judge Clayton nodded gravely.

"The whole North is stirred up and bound to make trouble.