my boy," he said, gently. "There ain't no
danger of any woman bein' treated rude in
these parts."

"I know it, by Jove!" cried Henderson,
in quick contriteness.

"All right," grunted Gillispie, in tacit
acceptance of this apology. "I guess you
thought you was in civilized parts."

Two days after this Waite came in late
to his supper. "Well, I seen her," he
announced.

"Oh! did you?" cried Henderson, know-
ing perfectly well whom he meant. "What
was she doing?"

"Killin' snakes, b'gosh! She says th'
baby's crazy fur um, an' so she takes aroun'
a hoe on her shoulder wherever she goes,
an' when she sees a snake, she has it out
with 'im then an' there. I says to 'er, 'Yer
don't expec' t' git all th' snakes outen this
here country, d' yeh?' 'Well,' she says,
'I'm as good a man as St. Patrick any day.'
She is a jolly one, Henderson. She tuk
me in an' showed me th' kids, and give me
a loaf of gingerbread to bring home. Here