Allan Kinemon, David's elder brother, wakens his wife, Rose, who is soon to have a baby. Allan drives the town's mail hack and is "reckoned the strongest man in Greenstream County."
	David plays "mumble-ty-peg" with his sweetheart, Esther Hatburn. She and her grandfather are neighbors of the Kinemons.
	Some more Hatburns, cousins of Esther and her grandfather, have just arrived after eluding the sheriff and his posse to take refuge with their relatives in Greenstream.
	"Hatburn, you killed my brother's dog. I've got government mail and passengers now, but, when I'm through, I'll be back!"
	The injured Allan is returned home after being hit by a rock and beaten by Luke Hatburn.
	Just as David's father is about to leave to avenge the injuries to Allan, he has a heart attack and dies, so David leaves to face the Hatburns. However, he is swayed to stay by his mother's pleas.
	Although only a clerk in John Galt's store, David finally gets his chance to drive the mail hack when the driver shows up drunk and there's no one else to do it.
	When Esther tries to take the stolen mail sack back to David, she is threatened by Luke Hatburn.
	Luke Hatburn stands on the stolen mail sack daring David to take it from him.
	The fight begins, and David encounters his "Goliath."
	Esther races into town to get help and collapses as she tells her grandfather and David's mother, "They've killed him!"
	Although badly hurt from his encounter with Luke Hatburn, David returns to town with the mail and is comforted by his mother and Esther. Esther says, "David, you're wonderful." David responds, "Ma's right, I'm only tol'able . . . just tol'able."

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