As I looked,
they moved into the road as if to stop us. I drew my pistol, fired it
over their heads, and they scattered. Then, I was scared still more, by
a sound as of a cavalry or a battery of artillery coming behind us. It
was three loads of people on the hayracks, who had overtaken us on
account of our having gone by the roundabout way; coming at a keen
gallop down the hill to have the credit of passing a fancy carriage.
They passed us like a tornado; shouting as they went by, asking what I
had shot at, and telling us to hurry up so as to get home by breakfast
time. The horsemen ahead, whatever might have been their plans, did not
seem to care to argue matters with so large a force, and rode off in
several directions, while I pressed close to the rear of the last
hayrack. Thus we drove into Monterey Centre.
"What did you shoot for?" asked the judge as we stopped at his house.
"I wanted to warn a lot of men on horseback that were heading us off,
that there'd be trouble if they tried to stop us," I answered.
"Damned foolishness," said the judge. "Well, come in and let's have a
bite to eat."
7
Virginia was staying with them the rest of the night; but as I helped
her out, feeling in her stiffness that she was offended with me, I
insisted that I would go on home. The judge, who had been ready to abuse
me a moment before, now took hold of me and forced me into the house. As
we went in carrying the satchel, he lifted it up on the table.
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