swell up and bust," answered Mr. Crabtree as he put up the two boxes
of baking-powder for the spouse of the poet, who stood beside his wife
in the door of the store.

"Well," said Mr. Rucker in his long drawl as he dropped himself over
the corner of the counter, "looks like the Honorable Gid kinder fooled
along and let Cupid shed a feather on him and then along come somebody
trying to pick his posey for him and in course it het him up. You all
'pear to forget that old saying that it's all's a fair fight in love
and war."

"Yes, fight; that's the word! Take off his coat, strap his galluses
tight, spit on his hands and fight for his girl, not trade for her
like hogs," was the bomb of sentiment that young Bob exploded, much to
the amazement of the gathering of the Sweetbriar clan in the store.
Young Bob's devotion to Rose Mary, admiration for Everett and own
tender state of heart had made him become articulate with a vengeance
for this once and he spat his words out with a vehemence that made a
decided impression on his audience.

"That are the right way to talk, Bob Nickols," said Mrs. Rucker,
bestowing a glance of approval upon the fierce young Corydon, followed
by one of scorn cast in the direction of the extenuating-circumstances
pleading Mr. Rucker. "A man's heart ain't much use to a woman if the
muscles of his arms git string-halt when he oughter fight for her.
Come a dispute the man that knocks down would keep me, not the buyer,"
and this time the glance was delivered with a still greater accent.

"Shoo, honey, you'd settle any ruckus about you 'fore it got going by
a kinder cold-word dash and pass-along," answered the poet