I declare--I'm out of breath.

Not used to walkin'.
An' besides, I left Grass Valley, in the night--an' I'm tired.

But excoose me from hangin' round thet village last night! There was shore--" "Who--who was killed ?" interrupted Ellen, her voice breaking low and deep.
"Guy Isbel an' Bill Jacobs on the Isbel side, an' Daggs, Craig, an' Greaves on your father's side," stated Sprague, with something of awed haste.
"Ah!" breathed Ellen, and she relaxed to sink back against the cabin wall.
Sprague seated himself on the log beside her, turning to face her, and he seemed burdened with grave and important matters.
"I heerd a good many conflictin' stories," he said, earnestly.

"The village folks is all skeered an' there's no believin' their gossip.

But I got what happened straight from Jake Evarts.