AFTERMATH 339 



first. It was Time o' Year with his gun, an arm- 

 ful of Hemlock, Bittersweet, stalks of Milkweed 

 pods and Ground Pine, while a couple of quail 

 were hanging round his neck by a string. 



"What have you been doing?" called Flower 

 Hat gaily, for since she had designed his twin 

 family trees, Alois in the apple and all, the old 

 man tolerated her. "Have you been stealing game 

 and had it fastened around your neck in penalty, as 

 we punished our setter with the chickens he killed?" 



"No," said Time o' Year, "though mebbe Yes 

 is the right answer, for now I 'm in the na- 

 tur' of a provider, 1 've been for- ^ 

 agin', as you can see, but for rea- 

 son, and not just destroysome- 

 ness. The doctor, he 

 allowed a taste o' game 

 is about the thing to perk 

 up little school-ma'am's ap- 

 petite, and these here grow- 

 in' things '11 cheer her up 

 while the posies she 's 

 filled the fore- 

 room winders 

 with gets into 



