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"Who?...Oh, it's you, ain't it, Sam?...Good land, you made me jump! I must be gettin' nervous, I guess."Captain Sam looked at him in some surprise."Gracious king, Ibelieve you are," he observed."I didn't think you had any nerves, Jed.No, nor any temper, either, until last night.You pretty nigh blew me out of water then.Ho, ho!"Jed was much distressed."Sho, sho, Sam," he stammered; "I'm awful sorry about that.I--I wasn't feelin' exactly--er--first rate or Iwouldn't have talked to you that way.I--I--you know I didn't mean it, don't you, Sam?"The captain pulled forward a chair and sat down.He chuckled.

"Well, I must say it did sound as if you meant it, Jed," he declared."Yes, sir, I cal'late the average person would have been willin' to risk a small bet--say a couple of million--that you meant it.When you ordered me to go home I just tucked my tail down and went.Yes, sir, if you didn't mean it you had ME fooled.

Ho, ho!"

Jed's distress was keener than ever."Mercy sakes alive!" he cried."Did I tell you to go home, Sam? Yes, yes, I remember Idid.Sho, sho!...Well, I'm awful sorry.I hope you'll forgive me.'Twan't any way for a feller like me to talk--to you."Captain Sam's big hand fell upon his friend's knee with a stinging slap."You're wrong there, Jed," he declared, with emphasis.

"'Twas just the way for you to talk to me.I needed it; and," with another chuckle, "I got it, too, didn't I? Ho, ho!""Sam, I snum, I--"

"Sshh! You're goin' to say you're sorry again; I can see it in your eye.Well, don't you do it.You told me to go home and think, Jed, and those were just the orders I needed.I did go home and I did think....Humph! Thinkin's a kind of upsettin' job sometimes, ain't it, especially when you sit right down and think about yourself, what you are compared to what you think you are.

Ever think about yourself that way, Jed?"It was a moment before Jed answered.Then all he said was, "Yes.""I mean have you done it lately? Just given yourself right up to doin' it?"Jed sighed."Ye-es," he drawled."I shouldn't wonder if I had, Sam.""Well, probably 'twan't as disturbin' a job with you as 'twas for me.You didn't have as high a horse to climb down off of.Ithought and thought and thought and the more I thought the meaner the way I'd acted and talked to Maud seemed to me.I liked Charlie; I'd gone around this county for months braggin' about what a smart, able chap he was.As I told you once I'd rather have had her marry him than anybody else I know.And I had to give in that the way he'd behaved--his goin' off and enlistin', settlin' that before he asked her or spoke to me, was a square, manly thing to do.The only thing I had against him was that Middleford mess.

And I believe he's a GOOD boy in spite of it.""He is, Sam.That Middleford trouble wan't all his fault, by any means!""I know.He told me this mornin'.Well, then, if he and Maud love each other, thinks I, what right have I to say they shan't be happy, especially as they're both willin' to wait? Why should Isay he can't at least have his chance to make good? Nigh's I could make out the only reason was my pride and the big plans I'd made for my girl.I came out of my thinkin' spell with my mind made up that what ailed me was selfishness and pride.So I talked it over with her last night and with Charlie to-day.The boy shall have his chance.Both of 'em shall have their chance, Jed.They're happy and--well, I feel consider'ble better myself.All else there is to do is to just hope to the Lord it turns out right.""That's about all, Sam.And I feel pretty sure it's goin' to.""Yes, I know you do.Course those big plans of mine that I used to make--her marryin' some rich chap, governor or senator or somethin'--they're all gone overboard.I used to wish and wish for her, like a young-one wishin' on a load of hay, or the first star at night, or somethin'.But if we can't have our wishes, why--why--then we'll do without 'em.Eh?"

Jed rubbed his chin."Sam," he said, "I've been doin' a little thinkin' myself....Ye-es, consider'ble thinkin'....Fact is, seems now as if I hadn't done anything BUT think since the world was cranked up and started turnin' over.And I guess there's only one answer.When we can't have our wishes then it's up to us to--to--""Well, to what?"

"Why, to stick to our jobs and grin, that's about all.'Tain't much, I know, especially jobs like some of us have, but it's somethin'."Captain Sam nodded."It's a good deal, Jed," he declared."It's some stunt to grin--in these days."Jed rose slowly to his feet.He threw back his shoulders with the gesture of one determined to rid himself of a burden.

"It is--it is so, Sam," he drawled."But maybe that makes it a little more worth while.What do you think?"His friend regarded him thoughtfully."Jed," he said, "I never saw anybody who had the faculty of seein' straight through to the common sense inside of things the way you have.Maud and I were talkin' about that last night.'Go home and think and thank God,'

you said to me.And that was what I needed to do.'Enlist and you'll be independent,' you said to Charlie and it set him on the road.'Stick to your job and grin,' you say now.How do you do it, Jed? Remember one time I told you I couldn't decide whether you was a dum fool or a King Solomon? I know now.Of the two of us I'm nigher to bein' the dum fool; and, by the gracious king, you ARE a King Solomon."Jed slowly shook his head."Sam," he said, sadly, "if you knew what I know about me you'd...but there, you're talkin' wild.Iwas cal'latin' to have a cup of tea and you'd better have one, too.

I'm heatin' some water on top of the stove now.It must be about ready."He lifted the saucepan from the top of the "gas burner" and tested the water with his finger.

"Hum," he mused, "it's stone cold.I can't see why it hasn't het faster.I laid a nice fresh fire, too."He opened the stove door and looked in.

"Hum..." he said, again."Yes, yes...I laid it but, I--er--hum...I forgot to light it, that's all.Well, that proves I'm King Solomon for sartin.Probably he did things like that every day or so....Give me a match, will you, Sam?"