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the action to the word by turning the horseshoe with the iron in
his left hand。 A slight grunt at the end of every stroke； and the
simultaneous repetition of 〃turn〃 seemed to offer him amusement and
relief。 Minty； without speaking； crossed the shop； and administered
a sound box on her brother's ear。 〃Take that； and let me ketch you
agen layin' low when my back's turned； to put on your store pants。〃
〃The others had fetched away in the laig；〃 said the boy； opposing a
knee and elbow at acute angle to further attack。
〃You jest get and change 'em；〃 said Minty。
The sudden collapse of the bellows broke in upon the soothing
refrain of Mr。 Sharpe； and caused him to turn also。
〃It's Minty；〃 he said； replacing the horseshoe on the coals； and
setting his powerful arms and the sledge on the anvil with an
exaggerated expression of weariness。
〃Yes； it's me；〃 said Minty； 〃and Creation knows it's time I DID
come； to keep that boy from ruinin' us with his airs and conceits。〃
〃Did ye bring over any o' that fever mixter？〃
〃No。 Bradley sez you're loading yerself up with so much o' that
bitter barkkuinine they call it over therethat you'll lift the
ruff off your head next。 He allows ye ain't got no ague； it's jest
wind and dyspepsy。 He sez yer's strong ez a hoss。〃
〃Bradley；〃 said Sharpe； laying aside his sledge with an aggrieved
manner which was； however； as complacent as his fatigue and
discontent； 〃ez one of them nat'ral born finikin skunks ez I
despise。 I reckon he began to give p'ints to his parents when he
was about knee…high to Richelieu there。 He's on them confidential
terms with hisself and the Almighty that he reckons he ken run a
saw…mill and a man's insides at the same time with one hand tied
behind him。 And this finikin is up to his conceit： he wanted to
tell me that that yer handy brush dump outside our shanty was
unhealthy。 Give a man with frills like that his own way and he'd
be a sprinkling odor cologne and peppermint all over the country。〃
〃He set your shoulder as well as any doctor；〃 said Minty。
〃That's bone…settin'； and a nat'ral gift；〃 returned Sharpe； as
triumphantly as his habitual depression would admit； 〃it ain't
conceit and finikin got out o' books！ Well；〃 he added； after a
pause； 〃wot's happened？〃
Minty's face slightly changed。 〃Nothin'； I kem back to get some
things；〃 she said shortly； moving away。
〃And ye saw HIM？〃
〃Ye…e…s；〃 drawled Minty； carelessly； still retreating。
〃Bixby was along here about noon。 He says the stranger was suthin'
high and mighty in his own country； and them 'Frisco millionaires
are quite sweet on him。 Where are ye goin'？〃
〃In the house。〃
〃Well； look yer； Minty。 Now that you're here； ye might get up a
batch o' hot biscuit for supper。 Dinner was that promiscous and
experimental to…day； along o' Richelieu's nat'ral foolin'； that I
think I could git outside of a little suthin' now； if only to prop
up a kind of innard sinkin' that takes me。 Ye ken tell me the news
at supper。〃
Later； however； when Mr。 Sharpe had quitted his forge for the night
and； seated at his domestic board； was； with a dismal presentiment
of future indigestion； voraciously absorbing his favorite meal of
hot saleratus biscuits swimming in butter； he had apparently
forgotten his curiosity concerning Mainwaring and settled himself
to a complaining chronicle of the day's mishaps。 〃Nat'rally；
havin' an extra lot o' work on hand and no time for foolin'； what
does that ornery Richelieu get up and do this mornin'？ Ye know
them ridiklus specimens that he's been chippin' outer that ledge
that the yearth slipped from down the run； and litterin' up the
whole shanty with 'em。 Well； darn my skin！ if he didn't run a heap
of 'em； mixed up with coal； unbeknowned to me； in the forge； to
make what he called a 'fire essay' of 'em。 Nat'rally； I couldn't
get a blessed iron hot； and didn't know what had gone of the fire；
or the coal either； for two hours； till I stopped work and raked
out the coal。 That comes from his hangin' round that saw…mill in
the woods； and listenin' to Bradley's high…falutin' talk about
rocks and strata and sich。〃
〃But Bradley don't go a cent on minin'； Pop；〃 said Minty。 〃He sez
the woods is good enough for him； and there's millions to be made
when the railroad comes along； and timber's wanted。〃
〃But until then he's got to keep hisself； to pay wages； and keep
the mill runnin'。 Onless it's； ez Bixby says； that he hopes to get
that Englishman to rope in some o' them 'Frisco friends of his to
take a hand。 Ye didn't have any o' that kind o' talk； did ye？〃
〃No； not THAT kind o' talk；〃 said Minty。
〃Not THAT kind o' talk！〃 repeated her father with aggrieved
curiosity； 〃Wot kind； then？〃
〃Well；〃 said Minty； lifting her black eyes to her father's； 〃I
ain't no account； and you ain't no account either。 You ain't got
no college education； ain't got no friends in 'Frisco； and ain't
got no high…toned style； I can't play the pianner； jabber French；
nor get French dresses。 We ain't got no fancy 'Shallet；' as they
call it； with a first…class view of nothing； but only a shanty on
dry rock。 But； afore I'D take advantage of a lazy； gawky boyfor
it ain't anything else； though he's good meanin' enoughthat
happened to fall sick in MY house； and coax and cosset him； and
wrap him in white cotton； and mother him； and sister him； and Aunt
Sukey him； and almost dry…nuss him gin'rally； jist to get him sweet
on me and on mine； and take the inside track of othersI'D be an
Injin！ And if you'd allow it； Pop； you'd be wuss nor a nigger！〃
〃Sho！〃 said her father； kindling with that intense gratification
with which the male receives any intimation of alien feminine
weakness。 〃It ain't that； Minty； I wanter know！〃
〃It's jist that； Pop； and I ez good ez let 'em know I seed it。 I
ain't a fool； if some folks do drop their eyes and pertend to wipe
the laugh out of their noses with a handkerchief when I let out to
speak。 I mayn't be good enough kempany〃
〃Look yer； Minty；〃 interrupted the blacksmith； sternly； half rising
from his seat with every trace of his former weakness vanished from
his hardset face； 〃do you mean to say that they put on airs to ye
to MY darter？〃
〃No；〃 said Minty quickly； 〃the men didn't； and don't you； a man；
mix yourself up with women's meannesses。 I ken manage 'em； Pop；
with one hand。〃
Mr。 Sharpe looked at his daughter's flashing black eyes。 Perhaps
an uneasy recollection of the late Mrs。 Sharpe's remarkable
capacity in that respect checked his further rage。
〃No。 Wot I was sayin'；〃 resumed Minty； 〃ez that I mayn't be
thought by others good enough to keep kempany with baronetts ez is
to bethough baronetts mightn't objectbut I ain't mean enough to
try to steal away some ole woman's darling boy in England； or snatch
some likely young English girl's big brother outer the family
wi