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reluctance and hesitation he put his hand to his breast…pocket。
〃Of course；〃 he said； 〃if you're kalkilatin' to take up the quar'll
on YOUR rights； and ez Cressy ain't anythin' more to me； YOU orter
hev the proofs。 Only don't trust them into that hound's hands。
Once he gets 'em again he'll secure a warrant agin you for stealin'。
That'll be his game。 I'd show 'em to HER firstdon't ye see？and
I reckon ef she's old Ma'am McKinstry's darter； she'll make it
lively for him。〃
He handed the letters to the looming figure before him。 It seemed
to become again a yielding mortal； and said in a hesitating voice；
〃P'r'aps you'd better make tracks outer this； Seth； and leave me
yer to put things to rights and fix up that door and the desk agin
to…morrow mornin'。 He'd better not know it to onct； and so start a
row about bein' broken into。〃
The proposition seemed to please Seth； he even extended his hand in
the darkness。 But he met only an irresponsive void。 With a slight
shrug of his shoulders and a grunting farewell； he felt his way to
the door and disappeared。 For a few moments it seemed as if Uncle
Ben had also deserted the schoolhouse； so profound and quiet was
the hush that fell upon it。 But as the eye became accustomed to
the shadow a grayish bulk appeared to grow out of it over the
master's desk and shaped itself into the broad figure of Uncle Ben。
Later； when the moon rose and looked in at the window； it saw him
as the master had seen him on the first day he had begun his
lessons in the school…house； with his face bent forward over the
desk and the same look of child…like perplexity and struggle that
he had worn at his allotted task。 Unheroic； ridiculous； and no
doubt blundering and idiotic as then； but still vaguely persistent
in his thought； he remained for some moments in this attitude。
Then rising and taking advantage of the moonlight that flooded the
desk； he set himself to mend the broken lock with a large
mechanical clasp…knife he produced from his pocket； and the aid of
his workmanlike thumb and finger。 Presently he began to whistle
softly； at first a little artificially and with relapses of
reflective silence。 The lock of the desk restored； he secured into
position again that part of the door…lock which he had burst off in
his entrance。 This done； he closed the door gently and once more
stepped out into the moonlit clearing。 In replacing his knife in
his pocket he took out the letters which he had not touched since
they were handed to him in the darkness。 His first glance at the
handwriting caused him to stop。 Then still staring at it； he began
to move slowly and automatically backwards to the porch。 When he
reached it he sat down； unfolded the letter； and without attempting
to read it； turned its pages over and over with the unfamiliarity
of an illiterate man in search of the signature。 This when found
apparently plunged him again into motionless abstraction。 Only
once he changed his position to pull up the legs of his trousers；
open his knees； and extend the distance between his feet； and then
with the unfolded pages carefully laid in the moonlit space thus
opened before him； regarded them with dubious speculation。 At the
end of ten minutes he rose with a sigh of physical and mental
relaxation； refolded the letter； put it in his pocket； and made his
way to the town。
When he reached the hotel he turned into the bar…room； and
observing that it happened to be comparatively deserted； asked for
a glass of whiskey。 In response to the barkeeper's glance of
curiosityas Uncle Ben seldom drank； and then only as a social
function with othershe explained：
〃I reckon straight whiskey is about ez good ez the next thing for
blind chills。〃
The bar…keeper here interposed that in his larger medical
experience he had found the exhibition of ginger in combination
with gin attended with effect； although it was evident that in his
business capacity he regarded Uncle Ben； as a drinker； with
distrust。
〃Ye ain't seen Mr。 Ford hanging round yer lately？〃 continued Uncle
Ben with laborious ease。
The bar…keeper； with his eye still scornfully fixed on his
customer； but his hands which were engaged in washing his glasses
under the counter giving him the air of humorously communicating
with a hidden confederate； had not seen the school…master that
afternoon。
Uncle Ben turned away and slowly mounted the staircase to the
master's room。 After a moment's pause on the landing； which must
have been painfully obvious to any one who heard his heavy ascent；
he gave two timid raps on the door which were equally ridiculous in
contrast with his powerful tread。 The door was opened promptly by
the master。
〃Oh； it's you； is it？〃 he said shortly。 〃Come in。〃
Uncle Ben entered without noticing the somewhat ungracious form of
invitation。 〃It war me；〃 he said； 〃dropped in； not finding ye
downstairs。 Let's have a drink。〃
The master gazed at Uncle Ben； who； owing to his abstraction； had
not yet wiped his mouth of the liquor he had imperfectly swallowed；
and was in consequence more redolent of whiskey than a confirmed
toper。 He rang the bell for the desired refreshment with a
slightly cynical smile。 He was satisfied that his visitor； like
many others of humble position； was succumbing to his good fortune。
〃I wanted to see ye； Mr。 Ford；〃 he began； taking an unproffered
chair and depositing his hat after some hesitation outside the
door； 〃in regard to what I onct told ye about my wife in Mizzouri。
P'r'aps you disremember？〃
〃I remember；〃 returned the master resignedly。
〃You know it was that arternoon that fool Stacey sent the sheriff
and the Harrisons over to McKinstry's barn。〃
〃Go on！〃 petulantly said the master； who had his own reasons for
not caring to recall it。
〃It was that arternoon； you know； that you hadn't time to hark to
mehevin' to go off on an engagement；〃 continued Uncle Ben with
protracted deliberation； 〃and〃
〃Yes； yes； I remember；〃 interrupted the master exasperatedly； 〃and
really unless you get on faster； I'll have to leave you again。〃
〃It was that arternoon；〃 said Uncle Ben without heeding him； 〃when
I told you I hadn't any idea what had become o' my wife ez I left
in Mizzouri。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the master sharply； 〃and I told you it was your bounden
duty to look for her。〃
〃That's so；〃 said Uncle Ben nodding comfortably； 〃them's your very
words； on'y a leetle more strong than that； ef I don't disremember。
Well； I reckon I've got an idee！〃 The master assumed a sudden
expression of interest； but Uncle Ben did not vary his monotonous
tone。
〃I kem across that idee； so to speak； on the trail。 I kem across
it in some letters ez was lying wide open in the brush。 I picked
em up and I've got 'em here。〃
He slowly took the letters from his pocket with one hand； while he
dragged the chair on which he was sitting beside the