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194 out the few goods we had; but oh! 'a fool in his folly is like a bear robbed of her whelps.' They said they would dust our goods for us; and so we came out and turned away our faces; but we heard the old house that had sheltered us so long crumble to pieces, as you'd crush an egg-shell in your hand; yes, and we heard their loud deriding laugh; but thank the Lord, we were too far off, to hear the jokes they passed between every peal of laughter. Ah, there is more hope of any thing than of a hard heart in a young body."

"Can it be possible," interrupted Jane, "that for so slight a cause the Woodhulls could do you such an injury?"

"It is even so," replied John; "youth is headstrong, and will not bear crossing."

"But where did you find a shelter?"

"I led my wife down the other side of the mountain, to one Billy Downie's, a soft feeling creature, who has more goodness in his heart than wit in his head, and he made us kindly welcome. I left my wife there, and the next day I came over to the village, to see if the law would give me justice of those that had no mercy. I should have gone to Squire Erskine with my case, for I knew he was called a fine pleader, though he is too wordy to suit me—but he was a friend of the Woodhulls, and so I applied to the stranger that's lately moved in: he proved a raw hand. The trial was appointed for the next Saturday. The day came; and all the men in the village were collected at the