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madereadyforsupperoverthere，itstruckmeashardonthem。
Theroomwithitstwocotsandfurniturewasasniceaspossible；
andweclosedthedoorupontheadjoiningroom，which，however，seemedalsountenanted。
Mrs。HenrygaveusamealsogoodthatIhaverememberedit，andherhusbandtheJudgestrovehisbestthatweshouldeatitinmerriment。Hepouredouthisanecdoteslikewine，andweshouldhavequicklywarmedtothem；butDr。MacBridesatamongus，givingoccasionalheavyha-ha’s，whichproduced，asMissMollyWoodwhisperedtome，a“dreadfullycavernouseffect。“Wasithissermon，wewondered，thathewasthinkingover？ItoldherofthecopioussheafofthemIhadseenhimpullfromhiswalletoverattheforeman’s。“Goodness！“saidshe。“Thenarewetohearoneeveryevening？“ThisIdoubted；hehadprobablybeenpickingoneoutsuitablefortheoccasion。“Puttinghisbestfootforemost，“
washercomment；“Isupposetheyhavebestfeet，liketherestofus。“Thenshegrewdelightfullysharp。“Doyouknow，whenIfirstheardhimIthoughthisvoicewashearty。Butifyoulisten，you’llfindit’smerelymilitant。Heneverreallymeetsyouwithit。He’soffonhishillwatchingthebattle-fieldthewholetime。“
“Hewillfindahardenedpaganhere。“
“JudgeHenry？“
“Oh，no！Thewildmanyou’retamingbroughtyouKenilworthsafeback。“
Shewassmooth。“Oh，asfortaminghim！Butdon’tyoufindhimintelligent？“
SuddenlyIsomehowknewthatshedidn’twanttotamehim。Butwhatdidshewanttodo？Thethoughtofherhadmadehimblushthisafternoon。Nothoughtofhimmadeherblushthisevening。
AgreatlaughfromtherestofthecompanymademeawarethattheJudgehadconsummatedhistaleofthe“SoleSurvivor。“
“Andso，“hefinished，“theyallwentoffasmadashopsbecauseithadn’tbeenamassacre。“Mr。andMrs。Ogden——theyweretheNewYorkers-gavethisstorymuchapplause，andDr。MacBridehalfaminutelaterlaidhis“ha-ha，“likeaheavystone，uponthegayety。
“I’llneverbeabletostandsevensermons，“saidMissWoodtome。
“Talkingofmassacres，“——Inowhastenedtoaddressthealreadysaddenedtable，——“Ihaverecentlyescapedonemyself。“
TheJudgehadcometoanendofhispowers。“Oh，tellus！“heimplored。
“Seriously，sir，Ithinkwegrazedprettywettragedybutyourextraordinarymanbroughtusoutintocomedysafeanddry。“
Thisgavemetheirattention；and，fromthatafternooninDakotawhenIhadfirststeppedaboardthecaboose，Itoldthemthewholetaleofmyexperience:howIgrewimmediatelyawarethatallwasnotright，bytheVirginian’skickingthecookoffthetrain；how，aswejourneyed，thedarkbubbleofmutinyswelledhourlybeneathmyeyes；andhow，whenitwasthreateningIknownotwhatexplosion，theVirginianhadprickeditwithhumor，sothatitburstinnothingbutharmlesslaughter。
Theireyesfollowedmynarrative:theNewYorkers，becausesucheventsdonothappenupontheshoresoftheHudson；Mrs。Henry，becauseshewasmyhostess；MissWoodfollowedforwhateverherreasonswere——Icouldn’tseehereyes；rather，IFELTherlisteningintentlytothedeedsanddangersofthemanshedidn’tcaretotame。ButitwastheeyesoftheJudgeandthemissionarywhichIsawriveteduponmeindeeduntiltheend；andtheyforthwithmadeplaintheirquitedissimilaropinions。
JudgeHenrystruckthetablelightlywithhisfist。“Iknewit！“
Andheleanedbackinhischairwithafaceofcontentment。Hehadtrustedhisman，andhismanhadprovedworthy。
“Pardonme。“Dr。MacBridehadamannerofsaying“pardonme，“
whichrenderedforgivenesswell-nighimpossible。
TheJudgewaitedforhim。
“AmItounderstandthatthese——a——cow-boysattemptedtomutiny，andwerediscouragedinthisattemptuponfindingthemselveslessskilfulatlyingthanthemantheyhadplottedtodepose？“
Ibeganananswer。“Itwasotherqualities，sir，thathappenedtoberevealedandass
