Your offerin' to stay just puts a clean finish on it.

Look yer, Hale, I didn't cotton much to you at first; but ef you ever want a friend, call on Ringwood Clinch." "The same here, old man," said Rawlins, extending his hand as he appeared from a hurried conference with the old woman at the woodshed, "and trust to Zeenie to give you a hint ef there's anythin' underhanded goin' on.

So long." Half inclined to resent this implied suggestion of protection, yet half pleased at the idea of a confidence with the handsome girl he had seen, Hale returned to the room.

A whispered discussion among the party ceased on his entering, and an awkward silence followed, which Hale did not attempt to break as he quietly took his seat again by the fire.

He was presently confronted by Stanner, who with an affectation of easy familiarity crossed over to the hearth.
"The old Kernel's d--d peppery and high toned when he's got a little more than his reg'lar three fingers o' corn juice, eh ?" "I must beg you to understand distinctly, Mr.Stanner," said Hale, with a return of his habitual precision of statement, "that I regard any slighting allusion to the gentleman who has just left not only as in exceedingly bad taste coming from YOU, but very offensive to myself.