While she listened for Abel's response, her long embroidery needle remained suspended over the toe of the slipper, where it gleamed in the lamp light.
"I don't know," replied Abel, and Blossom drew a repressed sigh of relief; "I've just ordered him to keep clear of our land, if that's what you're hintin' at." "If you had the sperit of yo' grandpa you'd have knocked him down in the road," said Sarah angrily.
"Yes, yes, I'd have knocked him down in the road," chimed in the old man, with the eagerness of a child.
"You can't knock a man down when he asks to borrow your lantern," returned Abel, doggedly, on the defensive.
"Oh, you can't, can't you ?" jeered Sarah.

"All you're good for, I reckon, is to shuck corn or peel potatoes!" For a minute Abel stared at her in silence.

"I declare, mother, I don't believe you're any better than a heathen," he remarked sadly at last.
"Well, I'm not the kind of Christian you are, anyway," retorted Sarah, "I'd like to know whar you'll find anything in Scripture about not knockin' a man down because he asks you for a lantern.

I thought I knew my Bible--but I reckon you are better acquainted with it--you an' yo' Mr.Mullen." "Of course, you know your Bible.

I wasn't meanin' that." "Then if readin' yo' Bible ain't bein' a Christian, I suppose it's havin' curly hair, an' gittin' up in the pulpit an' mincin'.