then she heard deputy threet-the horse was snatching at the reins , yanking on the gate , shaking and rattling the pickets of the white fence all the way down to the tea olive tree-his mewling voice , repeating as he was prone to do : `` like i say , i shore hate to be the one to bring you the news , nate old boy , but you can see how the old man would be all up in the air .