"Stirrin'." Silently they rattled down the street, each side of which was lined with big wagons loaded with tobacco and covered with cotton cloth--there seemed to be hundreds of them. "Hell's a-comin' about that terbaccer up here," said Steve. "Hell's a-comin' in the mountains if that robber up here at the capital steals the next election for governor," said Jason, and Steve looked up quickly and with some uneasiness. He himself had heard vaguely that somebody, somewhere, and in some way, had robbed his own party of their rights and would go on robbing at the polls, but this new Jason seemed to know all about it, so Steve nodded wisely. "Yes, my feller." Through town they drove, and when they started out into the country they met more wagons of tobacco coming in. "How's the folks in the mountains?" "About the same as usual," said the boy, "Grandpap's poorly. The war's over just now--folks 'r' busy makin' money. Uncle Arch's still takin' up options. The railroad's comin' up the river"--the lad's face darkened--"an' land's sellin' fer three times as much as you sold me out fer." Steve's face darkened too, but he was silent. "Found out yit who killed yo' daddy?" Jason's answer was short. "If I had I wouldn't tell you." "Must be purty good shot now?" "I hain't shot a pistol off fer four year," said the lad again shortly, and Steve stared. "Whut devilmint are you in up here now?" asked Jason calmly and with no apparent notice of the start Steve gave. "Who's been a-tellin' you lies about me?" asked Steve with angry suspicion. "I hain't heerd a word," said Jason coolly. "I bet you burned that toll-gate the morning I left here. Thar's devilmint goin' on everywhar, an' if there's any around you I know you can't keep out o' it." Steve laughed with relief. "You can't git away with devilmint here like you can in the mountains, an' I'm 'tendin' to my own business." Jason made no comment and Steve went on: "I've paid fer this hoss an' buggy an' I got things hung up at home an' a leetle money in the bank, an' yo' ma says she wouldn't go back to the mountains fer nothin'." "How's Mavis?" asked Jason abruptly. "Reckon you wouldn't know her. She's al'ays runnin' aroun' with that Pendleton boy an' gal, an' she's chuck-full o' new-fangled notions. She's the purtiest gal I ever seed, an'," he added slyly, "looks like that Pendleton boy's plumb crazy 'bout her." Jason made no answer and showed no sign of interest, much less jealousy, and yet, though he was thinking of the Pendleton girl and wanted to ask some question about her, a little inconsistent rankling started deep within him at the news of Mavis's disloyalty to him. They were approaching the lane that led to Steve's house now, and beyond the big twin houses were visible. "Yo' Uncle Arch's been here a good deal, an' he's tuk a powerful fancy to Mavis an' he's goin' to send her to the same college school in town whar you're goin'. Marjorie and Gray is a-goin' thar too, I reckon."