“Jest a minnut, Sheriff. I don’ trust neither of them varmints not ter run off with th’ money an’ say we didn’ pay it,” she said sternly.

The bailiffs started shouting. This time the sheriff smacked one across the back of his head. “Reckon I don’t neither, Miz Jinny. What d’y’all want ter do about thet?”

“Fust of all, I’m a-gonna write up a paper here thet says we paid it,” she said. “An’ Anna’s gonna sign it, an’ y’all as a witness, an’ them. An’ iffen all they c’n do is make their mark, I’m a-gonna write down their names. I’ll make up two. One t’stay with us, an’ one t’stay with y’all.”

The sheriff nodded. “Seems like a good ideer,” he said approvingly. “Anything else?”

“Then I’m a-gonna wrap up thet there money in a packet, an’ Anna is a-gonna sign a paper thet’ll go in thet packet what says this’s t’pay her Ma and Pa’s debt, an’ I’m a-gonna seal thet there packet up with wax. An’ once it’s sealed, y’all’s gonna sign th’ packet, Sheriff,” Jinny said, her jaw jutting out with determination. “Then y’all c’n give it to ’em.”

The two bailiffs looked extremely disgruntled by this point, which cheered Anna’s heart no end, because she, too, had been afraid they were likely to run off with all or part of the money, leaving her with no way to prove that she had ever paid it.

“I do like how y’all thank, Miz Jinny,” the sheriff said with admiration. “I reckon I’ll do one thang more t’add t’thet. When I git back ter town, I’ll send a letter m’self t’ the Company, an’ let ’em know their bailiffs took the full payment an’ left th’ same day as I sent th’ letter. No need ter pay me fer a stamp,” he continued, as Jinny made an abortive motion toward the cupboard. “I reckon this’s official bizness. Since they come an’ got me an’ all, ter he’p ’em collect.”

“Thenkee kindly, Sheriff,” her aunt said, and in a remarkably short period of time, it had all been completed.

“Now,” the sheriff said to the bailiffs, his face full of thunder. “It might c’d be y’all are thankin’ hard ’bout two wimmin alone, an’ iffen they got thet much money, they might hev more. I’m a-tellin’ y’all now thet iffen so much as a punkin gits stole from here, I’m a-comin’ ter look fer y’all. Am I clear?”

Just then Josh came through the front door. “I wouldn’ say they’s alone, Sheriff Tailor,” he said with a nod to the sheriff, casually hefting the axe on his shoulder. “An’ they’s my whole fambly down the lane, an’ the lane bein’ th’ on’y way t’git here.”

“An’ they’s bears in them woods,” Anna added. And right on cue out of the woods to the right came a bellowing roar.

The two bailiffs jumped, their eyes starting out of their heads in fear. Even the sheriff looked a bit intimidated.