You know where I stand in the matter, little girl.
That's all there is to it, so far as we're concerned. I'm going now. I
think I'm ready for that, talk with my grandfather."
He took leave of her with a frank handclasp. Kavanagh glowered, but did
not comment.
When Harlan whirled his horse he saw the conflagration on the Jo Quacca
hills.
He gasped something like an oath. "There goes the slash on our
operation!" he said, aloud.
"Your grandfather must have got you into politics in good shape by this
time," observed Kavanagh, sarcastically. "At any rate, he seems to be
celebrating with a good big bonfire."
At that moment the three of them beheld the farm buildings burst into
flame.
"Offering up sacrifices, too!" commented the satirist. "Seems to me,
Thornton, you ought to be there. They'll be calling for three cheers and
a speech!"
In one heartsick moment Thornton realized that this raging fire had
something to do with the political affairs of that day. He had seen
"Whispering" Urban Cobb at "The Barracks" in the forenoon, and knew that
he had led away a crowd of woodsmen for some purpose of his own.
Pages:
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127