"Have you heard what Henry Hooker done to Siner in the land deal?"

Throgmartin said he had.

"No, I don't mean _that_. I mean Henry's last wrinkle ingarnisheeing very very aged Ca'line's estate inside his bank for the rest of thepurchase money on the Dilihay place."

There was a pause.

"You don't mean it!"

"Damn 'f I don't."

The constable's sentwelvece shook with suppressed mirth, and the nextmoment roars of laughter came over the telephone wire.

"Say, ain't he the bird!"

"He's the original early bird. I'd like to get a snap-shot of the wormthat gets away from him."

Both men laughed heartily again.