“I’ll say to him that I never saw a wrong deed, and I’ll ask the lady’s pardon,” Quagger was beginning. He had a shiver of eagerness in his voice. “See—old Bedford sacked me from the factory when I joined the Knights. I haven’t had nothing but misfortune ever since. Now I haven’t got no money or situation, and I’ve been sleeping in the old haymow back of Angwalds’. If you could get me a situation—”

Oh, God, Bale thought.

He stood up. “I don’t know,” he said aloud. “Maybe I could. Where have you been eating?”

“I’ve got three dollars in greenbacks left to my name,” Quagger told him, “and what food I bought, I bought at Pock’s and Shick’s and the bakery. But my digestive system has been terrible. Nothing but trouble and misfortunate things have happened to me for the last two years, Bale. I must be being punished by God’s justice. For something.” He lifted his head. “Anyway, I’ve always been honest and out-and-out until now.”

Dan said inside, If he knew, if he knew … “Can I lend you some money?”

“I guess I oughtn’t to accept no favors from you.”

“The devil,” Dan said. He found seventeen dollars in his pocket; now he believed the legend about evil money burning one’s fingers; he put the notes in Quagger’s hand. “How did you come to be at the well, just now?”

“I’d heard that baby caterwauling for a long time, where I was lying out there in the old barn. If I hadn’t been scared I would of gone before. And then,” he added, simply, “I guess God spoke to me and told me to get it. He said like, Elmer Quagger—you go get water … They didn’t have a drop in the house. I came up through the kitchen floor-door, and there wasn’t a drop.”

They were in hot shadow, folded by the wall; a titanic outcry rode the sunset farms beyond, and it was made of increasing muskets … Get away from his awful honesty, the utter penitence of him, while I’m still able to go. “Good-bye,” Dan said, “I must be on my way. Now—” he stammered: his voice went on and declared more lies to Elmer Quagger … when he rose, head and shoulders above the wall, the sun had slid down unclouded except for smoke, and the brass sky above South Mountain was as bright as any dawn.

Bale, Quagger gabbled—Bale, you never said that you’d let bygones be bygones. I’ll go to Fanning and his wife on bended knee.

“Oh, all right,” Dan cried. The hill. Now loomed the cemetery hill.

Chapter 6

6.