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The woman was right the brooks were bridged。 Even this； though； wasn't a good sign。 To bridge a river was a necessity； to bridge a broad stream； a kindness to travelers。 But why did they build such elaborate bridges over brooks so narrow that even a man as old as Taleswapper could leap them without wetting a foot？ The bridges were sturdy； anchored into the earth far to either side of the stream； and both had roofs； well thatched。 People pay money to stay in inns that aren't as tight and dry as these bridges； thought Taleswapper。
Surely this meant that the people at the end of the track were at least as strange as those he had met so far。 Surely he ought to turn away。 Prudence demanded that he leave。
But prudence was not strong in Taleswapper's character。 It was as Old Ben told him； years before。 〃You'll go into the mouth of hell someday； Bill； just to find out why the devil has such bad teeth。〃 There was a reason for the bridges； and Taleswapper sensed that it would mean a story worth remembering in his book。
It was only a mile； after all。 Just when it seemed the track was about to wander into impenetrable wood； it took a sharp northward turn and opened into as pretty a holding as Taleswapper had seen； even in the placid settled lands of New Orange and Pennsylvania。 The house was large and fine； with shaped logs； to show that they meant it to last； and there were barns and sheds and pens and coops that made it almost a village in itself。 A wisp of smoke rising a half mile on up the track told him that his guess wasn't all wrong。 There was another household nearby； sharing the road； which meant it was probably kin。 Married children； no doubt； and all farming together； for the better prosperity of all。 That was a good thing； Taleswapper knew； when brothers could grow up liking each other well enough to plow each other's fields。
Taleswapper always headed for the house best to announce himself at once； rather than skulking about and being taken for a robber。 Yet this time； when he meant to walk toward the house； he felt himself bee stupid all at once； unable to remember what it was he was about to do。 It was a warding so powerful that he did not realize he had been pushed away until he was halfway down the hill toward a stone building beside a brook。 He stopped abruptly； frightened； for no one had power enough； he thought； to back him off without him realizing what was happening。 This place was as strange as the other two； and he wanted no part of it。
Yet as he tried to turn back the way he had e； the same thing happened again。 He found himself going down the hill toward the stone…walled building。
Again he stopped； and this time muttered； 〃Whoever you are； and whatever you want； I'll go of my own free will or I'll not go at all。〃
All at once it was like a breeze behind him； pushing him toward the building。 But he knew he could go back if he wanted。 Against the breeze； yes； but he could do it。 That eased his mind considerably。 Whatever constraints had been placed upon him； they were not meant to enslave him。 And that； he knew； was one of the marks of a goodly spell not the hidden chains of a tormentor。
The path rounded to the left a bit； along the brook； and now he could see that the building was a mill； for it had a millrace and the frame of a tall wheel standing where the water would flow。 But no water flowed in the race today； and as he came close enough to see through the large barn…size door； he discovered why。 It wasn't just closed up for the winter。 It had never been used as a mill。 The gears were in place； but the great round millstone wasn't there。 Just a foundation of rammed cobbles； level and ready and waiting。
Waiting a long time。 This construction was at least five years old； from the vines and the mosses on the building。 It had been a lot of work to build this millhouse； and yet it was being used as a mon haybarn。
Just inside the large door； a wagon was rocking back and forth as two boys grappled together atop a half…load of hay。 It was a friendly bout； the boys were obviously brothers； the one about twelve years old； the other perhaps nine； and the only reason the young one wasn't thrown off the wagon and out the door was because the older boy couldn't keep himself from laughing。 They didn't notice Taleswapper； of course。
They also didn't notice the man standing at the edge of the loft； pitchfork in hand； looking down at them。 Taleswapper thought at first that the man was watching in pride； like a father。 Then he came close enough to see how he held the fork。 Like a javelin； ready to cast。 For a single moment； Taleswapper saw in his mind's eye just what would happen the fork thrown； burying itself in the flesh of one of the boys； surely killing him； if not immediately； then soon enough； with gangrene or belly bleeding。 It was murder that Taleswapper saw。
〃No！〃 he shouted。 He ran through the doorway； fetching up alongside the wagon； looking up at the man in the loft。
The man plunged the pitchfork into the hay beside him and heaved the hay over the edge onto the wagon； half…burying the two boys。 〃I brought you here to work； you two bearcubs； not to tie each other in knots。〃 The man was smiling； teasing。 He winked at Taleswapper。 Just as if there hadn't been death in his eyes a moment before。
〃Howdy； young feller；〃 said the man。
〃Not so young；〃 said Taleswapper。 He doffed his hat； letting his bare pate give away his age。
The boys dug themselves out of the hay。 〃What were you shouting at； Mister？〃 asked the younger one。
〃I was afraid someone might e to harm；〃 said Taleswapper。
〃Oh； we wrassle like that all the time；〃 said the older boy。 〃Put her there； friend。 My name's Alvin； same as my pa。〃 The boy's grin was contagious。 Scared as he'd been； with so much dark dealing going on today； Taleswapper had no choice but to smile back and take the proffered hand。 Alvin Junior had a handshake like a grown man； he was that strong。 Taleswapper mented on it。
〃Oh； he gave you his fish hand。 When he gets to wringing and wrenching on you； he like to pops your palm like a razzleberry。〃 The younger boy shook hands； too。
〃I'm seven years old； and Al Junior； he's ten。〃 Younger than they looked。 They both had that nasty bitter body stench that young boys get when they've been playing hard。 But Taleswapper never minded that。 It was the father who puzzled him。 Was it just a fancy in his own mind； that Taleswapper thought he meant to kill the boys？ What man could take a murderous hand to boys as sweet and fine as these？
The man had left the pitchfork in the loft； clambered down the ladder； and now strode toward Taleswapper with his arms out as if to hug him。 〃Wele here； stranger；〃 said the man。 〃I'm Alvin Miller； and these are my two youngest sons； Alvin Junior and Calvin。〃
〃Cally；〃 corrected the younger boy。
〃He doesn't like the way our names rhyme；〃 said Alvin Junior。 〃Alvin and Calvin。 See； they named him like me hoping he'd grow up to be as fine a specimen of manhood as I am。 Too bad it ain't working。〃
Calvin gave him a shove of mock anger。 〃Near as I can tell； he was the first try； and when I came along they finally got it right！〃
〃Mostly we call thern Al and Cally；〃 said the father。
〃Mostly you call us 'shutup' and 'get over here；'〃 said Cally。
Al Junior gave him a whack on the shoulder and sent him sprawling in the dirt。 Whereupon his father placed a boot on his backside and sent him head over heels out the door。 All in fun。 Nobody was hurt。 How could I have thought there was murder going on here？
〃You e with a message？ A letter？〃 asked Alvin Miller。 Now； that the boys were outside； yelling at each other across the meadow； the grown men could get a word in。
〃Sorry；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃Just a traveler。 A young lady in town said I might find a place to sleep up here。 In exchange for whatever good hard work you might have for my arms。〃
Alvin Miller grinned。 〃Let me see how much work those arms can do。〃 He thrust out an arm； but it wasn't to shake hands。 He gripped Taleswapper by the forearm and braced his right foot against Taleswapper's right foot。 〃Think you can throw me？〃 asked Alvin Miller。
〃Just tell me before we start；〃 said Taleswapper； 〃whether I'll get a better supper if I throw you； or if I don't throw you。〃
Alvin Miller leaned back his head and whooped like a Red。 〃What's your name； stranger？〃
〃Taleswapper。〃
〃Well； Mr。 Taleswapper； I hope you like the taste of dirt； cause that's what you'll eat before you eat anything else here！〃
Taleswapper felt the grip on his forearm tighten。 His own arms were strong； but not like this man's grip。 Still； a game of throws wasn't all strength。 It was also wit； and Taleswapper had a bit of that。 He let himself slowly flinch under Alvin Miller's pressure； long before he had forced the man to use his full strength。 Then； suddenly； he pulled with all his might in the direction Miller was pushing。 Usually that was enough to topple the bigger man； using his own weight against him but Alvin Miller was ready； pulled the other way； and flung Taleswapper so far that he landed right among the stones that formed the foundation for the missing millstone。
There had been no malice in it； though； just the love of the contest。 No sooner was Taleswapper down than Miller was helping him up； asking him if anything was broken。
〃I'm just glad your millstone wasn't in place yet；〃 said Taleswapper； 〃or you'd be stuffing brains back into my head。〃
〃What？ You're in Wobbish country； man！ There ain't no need for brains out here。〃
〃Well； you threw me；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃Does that mean you won't let me earn a bed and a meal？〃
〃Earn it？ No sir。 I won't allow such a thing。〃 But the grin on his face denied the harshness of his words。 〃No； no； you can work if you like； because a man likes to feel that he pays his way in the world。 But truth is I'd let you stay even if you had two legs broke and couldn't help a lick。 We've got a bed all ready for you； just off the kitchen； and I'll bet a hog against a huckleberry that them boys already told Faith to set another bowl for supper。〃
〃That's kind of you； sir。〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Alvin Miller。 〃You sure nothing got broke？ You hit them stones awful hard。〃
〃Then I imagine you ought to check to make sure none of those stones got split； sir。〃
Alvin laughed again； slapped him on the back； and led him up to the house。
Such a house it was。 There couldn't be more screeching and shouting in hell。 Miller tried to sort out all the children for him。 The four older girls were his daughters； busy as could be at half a dozen jobs； each one carrying on separate arguments with each of her sisters； at the top of her voice； passing from quarrel to quarrel as her work took her from room to room。 The screaming baby was a grandchild； as were the five toddlers playing Roundheads and Cavaliers on and under the dining table。 The mother； Faith； seemed oblivious to it all as she labored in the kitchen。 Occasionally she'd reach out to cuff a nearby child； but otherwise she didn't let them interrupt her work or her steady stream of orders； rebukes； threats； and plaints。
〃How do you keep your wits together； in all this？〃 Taleswapper asked her。
〃Wits？〃 she asked him sharply。 〃Do you think anyone with wits would put up with this？〃
Miller showed him to his room。 That's what he called it； 〃your room； as long as you care to stay。〃 It had a large bed and a feather pillow； and blankets； too； and half of one wall was the back of the chimney； so it was warm。 Taleswapper hadn't been offered a bed like this in all his wandering。 〃Promise me that your name isn't really Procrustes；〃 he said。
Miller didn't understand the allusion； but it didn't matter； he knew the look on Taleswapper's face。 No doubt he'd seen it before。 〃We don't put our guests in the worst room； Taleswapper； we put them in the best。 And no more talk about that。〃
〃You have to let me work for you tomorrow； then。〃
〃Oh； there's jobs to do； if you're good with your hands。 And if you ain't ashamed of women's work； my wife could use a help or two。 We'll see what happens。〃 At that； Miller left the room and closed the door behind