The Touch of Abner

G THE

ettle down for any length of time to one task. He preferred boating or lumbering, with all the excitement and uncertainty attached to each. But to be penned down in a potat

an' down another, hour after hour. I jist feel wild fer somethin' to turn up. Wish to good

n, too. Maybe it was a gatling gun the fellow had. He had heard about such things. Ikey might have sent him to take the place by force. A fierce anger surged up in Abner's heart, and dropping his hoe, he sped to the house and took down his gun fro

d back his straw hat a little and faced him without the least shadow of fear, Abner became puzzled. If the stranger had only run, it would have been a great lark chasing him across the field, b

the stranger asked, in

to," was

e a long tim

ye af

id of

'll sho

ldn't shoot a cat, and, beside

me t

ahead. I d

do

hurry up. I'm gett

intruder, but merely wished to frighten him away. He di

hoot?" the stran

as he thumped the gun down upon th

u acted. I've often met brutes on four legs which perf

ner demanded. "What bizness h

s? Why, my ow

hat's

t you

n' my pl

did you ask

ye here? Did

tched his head, as if in perplexity. "Say, I can'

Say that agin an' I

ll

mind. Ye'r on my place, an' don't pu

up a bit. "But I don't want to fight with you. Just let me alone until I get my work finished. If you

hey?" Abne

f the Governme

they to do in the mat

e, so it's no use to shoot me, or try to punch my n

y send ye here fe

h gravel you ha

l! My

" and the surveyor m

want it?

bal

lla

ng. They have at last concluded that there is too much gravel right on this part of the ea

' where are they g

. They need ballast for that,

g wide, now gradually contracted as he looked off toward the gravel hill. A new light was dawning upon his m

ession upon his face, surmised i

on?" he

I come in?" Ab

're in a

to me. Not there by choice. But what am I t

u'll be lucky to get out of

, eh? A

rld. That's about the first thing they'll tell you, and they'll put up such a big tal

l?" Abner roared, and

re past masters at the art of getting what they want. They will come here in autos, parade around the place, puff their expensive cigars, and

-me-shins, if ye do. There'll be no crawlin', mind ye, to them big bugs.

They didn't send word, I suppose, a

a line, t

o tramp over your land. They'll com

go, young man. I ain't got nuthin' agin you personally, but ye represent that bunch of grafters, s

ht arm resting lightly on the theodolite h

oin'?" Abne

N

l change ye'r tune, me hearty

th both hands, he drew it back over his l

l knock out ye'r brains,

hen," was th

ye afraid?"

id of

I'll k

t would save me from doin

th amazement, and he s

luney, are ye

u thin

n' wrong with a chap who wan

ng to knock out my

in't no m

yor gave a deep sigh. "I

r, or had even argued, it would have been different. But to see him so calm and unconcerned was what puzzled him. He was mad, and yet it did no good. The more excited

elieved to see Jess walking across the field carryi

he called. "Come

proaching, he suddenly straightened himself up from his listles

clad in a simple white dress, open at the throat. Her arms were bare to the elbows, and her fingers bore the crimson stains of the strawberries she had recently picked. Beneath her broad-rimmed hat tresses of wav

addy?" she enquired.

etorted. "But that's as fer as

ou going to do

t tote it back

bring it her

nd Abner motioned

an expression of amusement in his eyes,

want to scare

n', that's why. He wan

!" Jess repeated

fters, an' when I threatened to shoot him or brain him he up an

advanced a step toward the surveyor. Here was a case which

nt to be kille

s no reason why I shoul

nd. "You should not utter such words. Why, a man is a coward who want

ut that's the way

, a strong, noble view. That is what will lift you out of the depths of despair. You should r

uraged. "Pile on the Social Servic

hould not let your thoughts dwell on your own tr

"Fergit ye'r worries, like a lobster in bi

o she thought, of mingled surprise and amusement. What must he be thinking of her? she asked herself. Her enthusiasm had carried her away. Never be

ve," the young man remarked. "I

t was all Je

e held up at the point of a gun; threatened to be brained, and the

, skiddy-me-shins if i

urveyor's laugh, on the other hand, was like a pigmy explosion. He evidently had been controlling himself with the greatest effort, and this outburst was a welcome relief

e show, all right. Gun, villain, an' gal all

to the surveyor, an

uess ye kin go ahead with ye'r surveyin'. I do sartinly like the cut

but in them; is that it?"

ly. "Or you may have both, if you w

d slowly across the field. He seemed to be in no hurry to go on with hi

ill. I've won the bet, all right. He certainly is a queer cuss, and I thought at one time that I wouldn't leave this p