Page:Morley roberts--Painted Rock.djvu/46

 "My curiosity ez sinful," he said, "and I'll curb it. I'll offer up a general repentance scheme when the stiffness goes outer my knee. And you forget what I said mighty quick, or I'll flay you some, I will. Get up the pinto, Jeff."

Jeff showed reluctance to move.

"Paw, you mostly cussed one pusson."

Dexter, who had turned to go back into the shanty, faced his son again swiftly.

"I done so?"

"You did, Paw. As far ez I could gather up the tale in the confusion of your shoutin', you appeared to hev hed some sort of a difficulty agin with Mr. Walker."

Dexter's face was as black as a thundercloud when he heard what Jeff said. He nodded, and stared at the boy from under his heavy eyebrows, which drooped like bent thatch over his burning eyes.

"I do reklec'," he said at last, "him and me had words I know,—bad words, and I've a notion the boys pulled me down and held me. I knew, Jeff, I hed business in town, and I couldn't prop'ly locate in my mind