CHAPTER XII.
"If I ever get to be a Turk or anything like that," said Watts McHurdie, in October, two months after the events recorded in the last chapter had occurred, as he sat astraddle of his bench, sewing on a bridle, "I'm going to have one red-headed wife--but not much more'n one." Colonel Culpepper dropped a "Why ?" into the reflections of the poet.
Watts replied, "Oh, just to complete the set!" The colonel did not answer and Watts chuckled: "I figure out that women are a study.

You learn this one and pat yourself on the breast-bone and say, 'Behold me, I'm on to women.' But you ain't.
Another comes along and you have to begin at the beginning and learn 'em all over.

I wonder if Solomon who had a thousand--more or less--got all his wisdom from them." The colonel shook his head, and said sententiously, "Watts--they hain't a blame thing in it--not a blame thing." The creaking of the treadle on Watt's bench slit the silence for a few moments, and the colonel went on: "There can be educated fools about women, Watts McHurdie, just as there are educated fools about books.

There's nothing in your theory of a liberal education in women.

On the contrary, in all matters relating to and touching on affairs of the heart--beware of the man with one wife." McHurdie flashed his yellow-toothed smile upon his friend and replied, "Or less than one ?" "No, sir, just one," answered Colonel Culpepper.