"There’ll be no come-back this time, mind you," was the decided reply. "I hold the trump cards in this game, so don’t worry."
Zeb read the scathing editorial in the paper and smiled. He showed it to Abner and asked him what he thought of it.
"It’s jist what I wanted," was the enthusiastic reply. "Jist what ye wanted!" Zeb exclaimed. "How de ye make that out?"
"Don’t ye know? Haven’t ye enough sense left to see wot that article will do? Why, it’ll bring a hull crowd here Saturday night quicker’n anythin’ else."
"H’m, so that’s the way ye look at it, eh? But don’t be too sure, Abner."
"Never ye mind about that, Zeb. I wish I was as sartin of goin’ to heaven as I am of that gang comin’."
"Got ye’r tub all ready?" Zeb bantered. "An’ what about ye’r laffin’-gas? Ye mustn’t fergit that."
"An’ ’ye’r brains,’ why don’t ye say? Yes, every dang thing’s in shape, even me old shot-gun."
"One kin never tell. This dodge of mine is somethin’ out of the ordinary, an’ the crowd might git a bit unruly. It’s jist as well to be on the safe side."
"Seems to me, Abner, the safest side fer you to-morrow night will be the other side of sun-down. I wish to goodness ye hadn’t started this thing."
"Keep ye’r shirt on, Zeb, an’ don’t worry. But, there, I must git home an’ see how me laffin’-gas is comin’ along."
Saturday evening was bright and warm. Not a breath of wind was astir, and the river was like one huge mirror. But the people who came to Ash Point from Glucom were not thinking of such things. They were more concerned about seeing Abner Andrews and his method of healing than all the beautiful things of Nature. Had they been with Moses when he was tending the sheep, they would have been much more interested in watching two rams fighting than in studying the burning bush and heeding its divine message.
Abner was in the workshop, and Zeb was out on the road as director of ceremonies, or "office-boy" as Abner termed him, when the vanguard arrived. There were waggons and autos which went slowly by and then returned later. The occupants craned their necks in their efforts to see something out of the ordinary. Several made enquiries of Zeb, and when the latter pointed to the workshop, they laughed and went on their way.