He's risked his life for his friend,
thinkin' of her that's dead an' gone, and a man's life is a man's life.
If it was Jake's life in danger, what'd I think of a woman that could
save him, and didn't?"
"Onct you broke off with Jake Lawson--the day before you was to be
married; an' it's took years to make up an' agree again to be spliced.
If Jake comes here to-morrow, and you ain't here, what do you think he'll
do? The neighbours are comin' for fifty miles round, two is comin' up a
hundred miles, an' you can't--Jinny, you can't do it. I bin sick of
answerin' questions all these years 'bout you and Jake, an' I ain't goin'
through it again. I've told more lies than there's straws in a tick."
She flamed out. "Then take him down the river yourself--a man to do a
man's work. Are you afeard to take the risk?"
He held out his hands slowly and looked at them. They shook a little.
"Yes, Jinny," he said sadly, "I'm afeard. I ain't what I was. I made a
mistake, Jinny. I've took too much whiskey. I'm older than I ought to
be. I oughtn't never to have had a whiskey-still, an' I wouldn't have
drunk so much.
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