The mare trotted on, following the slowly lifting mountain road for a matter of two miles, and then turned again down a highway that was little more than a tote road. Half a mile later she stopped with her nose against the fence of a shabby farmhouse, and sagged down, as is the custom of horses when they realize they are at their destination and have a rest of duration before them. Scattergood alighted and fastened her to the fence. As he swung open the gate a middle-aged man appeared in the door of the house, and over his shoulder Scattergood could see the white face of a woman--staring. "Evening Jed," said Scattergood. "Evening Mis' Briggs." "Howdy, Mr. Baines? Wa'n't expectin' to see _you_. What fetches you this fur off'n the road?" "Sort of got here by accident, you might say. Didn't come of my own free will, seems as though. Kind of tired, Jed. Mind if I set a spell?... How's the cannin', Mis' Briggs?" "Done up thutty quarts to-day, Mr. Baines," said the young woman, who was Jed Briggs's wife, a woman fifteen years his junior, comely, desirable, vivid. "Um!... Got a hoss out here. Want you should both come and look her over." He raised himself to his feet, and was followed by Jed Briggs and his wife to the fence. "Likely mare," said Scattergood, blandly. Startlingly Mrs. Briggs laughed, shrilly, unpleasantly, as a woman laughs in great fear. "Gawd!" said Jed Briggs, "it's--" "Yes," said Scattergood, gently. "It's Asa Levens's mare. Was she here last Tuesday?" "She was here Tuesday, Scattergood Baines," said Jed Briggs. "What's the meanin' of this?" "I knowed she was somewheres Tuesday," Scattergood said, impersonally. "Didn't know where, but I mistrusted she'd been to that place frequent. Jest got in and give her her head. She brought me.... Asa Levens is dead." "Dead!" said Jed Briggs in a hushed voice. "He deserved to die.... He deserved to die.... He deserved to die ..." the young woman repeated shrilly, hysterically. "Was you in town to lodge Tuesday night, Jed?" "Yes." "Asa come every lodge night, Mis' Briggs?" "He always came--when Jed was here and when Jed was away.... When Jed was here he'd jest set eyin' me and eyin' me ... and when Jed was gone he--he talked...." "Asa owned the mortgage on the place," said Jed, as if that explained something. Scattergood nodded comprehension. "Keep up your int'rest, Jed?" "Year behind. Asa was threatenin' foreclosure." "Threatened to throw us offn the place ... ag'in and ag'in he threatened--and we'd 'a' starved, 'cause Jed hain't strong. It's me does most of the work.... What we got into this place is all we got on earth ... and he threatened to take it." "He come Tuesday night," said Scattergood, as a prompter speaks. "Hush, Lindy," said Jed. "I calculate you'd best both of you talk," said Scattergood. "You'd better tell me, Jed, jest why you shot Asa Levens."