Thus it happened that Gelle was sitting with his mouth full and his jaws working comfortably when Palmer rode up to the gate, leaned and unlatched it, sidled his horse through and closed the gate afterwards. Perhaps he noticed fresh horse tracks that were strange, though Gelle's horse stood tied in the bushes at the edge of the gully. Perhaps Palmer saw the imprint of Gelle's boots. Whatever the cause, he eyed the house as if he knew some danger lurked within--or perhaps he was merely estimating the amount of damage done to his shingles. Gelle had not expected him back. He took up his glass of buttermilk and washed down the mouthful of bread and butter with one huge swallow, drew his hand hastily across his mouth and did a rapid mental calculation. "Yo're my prisoner, Snowball," he said over his shoulder. "I might give you another dollar if you do a good job of playin' dead till I holler when. Go awn and take a nap with the old man while I talk to yore Boss." From the yard a harsh voice called Sam, and after a minute's hesitation Gelle motioned him forward. "Act natural, Snowball, or I'll spill you all over the room," he muttered. "Boss, he's pow'ful mean man. He kill dis ole niggah--" Sam held up his two shaking hands, the palms pinkish as if he had worn off the color. "Gwan--answer him! He ain't goin' to have a chance at yuh. I want t' git him inside, Snowball. Gwan." Palmer shouted again, and Sam caught up a chipped yellow bowl and stood forth bravely enough, though Gelle, standing just out of sight behind the door, could see how his legs were shaking. "Yessuh, Boss, yessuh." Sam ducked his head propitiatingly. "Sam, who's been here to the house? No lies, you damn' worthless black whelp!" "Heah? To dis house? Ah dunno zackly, Boss, Ah-h--" He took another breath and plunged. "Sho'ht time aftah yo'all rode off, Boss, man he comes lopin' along. Wants to speak wid yo'all, 'cawdin' to what he says. Ah says yo'all ain't heah an' 'tain't pawssible he kin speak wid yo'all. He hang eroun' awn his hawse, but he doan' shoot no gun, an' bimeby he ride awn off." "Did, ay? Anybody you know?" "No-suh, Boss, Ah doan' reckon Ah knows dat cowboy, nohow. But Ah notice, Boss, he's got Meddalahk brand on he's hawse--" Palmer swore such fluent, heartfelt oaths that Gelle grinned and whispered to Sam that there was one thing old Palmer wasn't stingy with, and that was cuss words. "Which way--here, come back here, you damn' lazy idiot, and tell me which way he went!" "'Clah to goodness, Boss, Ah so plum tickled he's goin', Ah doan' rightly know! Awn up river som'ers, Boss." Sam rolled his eyes in terror, for Palmer was climbing down from his horse in the manner that promised blows delivered upon the first luckless object within reach.