PCE SIX
ILLIUIII
IN THE ELEARlNLr-
A TALE OF THE NORTH COUNTRY
j IN THE TIME OF SILAS WIGHT
IRVING D&LLEFL
Aimctor
EN HOLMN. Dm ANB I. DARIEL Of THE BUSSED ISLEi
KEEPING Uf WTH UZZIf. ETC, ETC
-"Xll true I I have seen It sinking
Into the bones o' the young and I have
seen It lying down with the aged In
the dust o' their graves. It Is a bl(t!
book the one we are now opening.
Cod help us! It has more pages than
all the days 0 your life. Just think
9" your body. A brave and tender
youth! It Is like a ponge. How It
take things In an' holds 'em an' feeds
upon Vml A purt o' every apple ye
tit finks down Into yer blood an'
bones. Ye can't get It out. It's the
twine way with the books ye read an'
the thoughts ye enjoy. They go down
Into yer bones an' ye can't get 'em out.
Tlmt's why I like to think o' Michael
l("iii'y. His food Is good thoughts and
Ids wine Is luughter. I had a long
visit with M. H. lust night when ye
were nil In bed. His face was a chunk
o' laughter. Oh, what a limb he Is I
I wish I could tell ye ull the good
tlilnjM he said."
"T.iere comes Colonel ITnnd," said
Mrs. Hacket as she looked out of the
whitlow. "The poor lonely Whig I He
lias nothing to do these days but sit
around the tavern."
Colonel Iluud was a surly-looking
mini beyond middle age, with large
nes that showed signs of dltislpatlnn.
II;) had a small, dark tuft beneath IiIh
.lower lip and thin, blnek, untidy hair.
"What do ye think has happened?"
lie asked as he looked down upon us
v. llh a majenllo movement of his linnd.
"The son o' that old Bucktail, P.on
(irimshaw, lias been arrested and
brought to Jail for murder."
, "For murder?" asked Mr. and Mrs. with Its 78 children and Its three
Uiioket In one breath. j rooms. How noisy they were as they
"For Moody murder, sir," the colonel waited In the schoolyard for the bell
went on. "It was the shooting of that to ring! I stood by the doorslde look
man In. the town o' fyllybecn a few ng very foolish, I dare say, for I
weeks ngo. Thing" ;.,,ve come to a knew not what to do with myself. My
pretty pass In thhi 'ountry, I should , legs encased in the tow breeches felt
my. Talk alio .! law and order) we i as if they were on Are. I saw that
don't know v, hut It means here and ' most of the village boys wore bought
vhy should we? The party In power ! en clothes and flue boots. I looked
is avowedly opposed to It yes, sir. It J down at my own leather and was a
has fattened upon bribery and corrup- tower', of shame on a fouudntlim of
tlnn. Do you think that the son o ' areased. cowhide. . Sally Dunkelberg
lien Orlmshnw will receive punish-1 eame In with some other girls and pre
ment even If he Is proved guilty? Not ' tended not to see me. That was the
t all. He will be protected you mark hardest blow I suffered.
mWT!,V , 1 Among the handsome, well-dressed
lie bowed and left lis. When the ' boys of the village was Henry WW
floor had closed behind him Mr. Hackot I (he boy who had stolen my water-
melon. I had never forgiven him for
. Another victim horned by the that or for the kllllug of my little hen.
Uliapdrngou! If a man Were to be , The bell i-nnir nn.l wo n.nr..hiH Intn
slain by a bear back In the woods i
Onlonc! Hand would look for guilt In
Hie opposition ifi'ty, Michael Henry,
whatever tho t.,.t,i r.iuy bo regarding
the poor boy In Jail, we tire In no way
responsible. Away with Badness!
What Is tlmtr
Mr. Ilaeket Inclined hls ear and then
added: "Michael Henry gays that he
may he innocent and that we had bet
ter go and see If we can help him.
Now I hadn't thought o' that. Had
Jou. Mary?"
"No," the girl answered,
"We must be letting Mike go ahead
of ftlways," said her fHil.r. y0
Miw the crlino, I believe," turning fo
me.
I told them all I hw of It.
"Upon my word, I like yon, my
brave bid," Mild the schoolmaster. "I
heard of all thU and decided that you
would be a help to Michael Henry and
a creditable student. Conm, let us
go and pny our compllnmuU to Uie
id 'tin tor."
The .schoolmaster and I went over
to Mr. Wrljtbt's house a white, frame
tnmiiing which had often been pointed
nt to rue.
Mrs. Wright, a fiiie lnoklng lady who
aiet us at the door, mild that the sen
(or had gone over to the mill with his
wheelbarrow.
"We've plenty of time and we'll wait
for him," Maid tho schoolmaster.
"I see him!" sab! little John as he
ind ltuth ran to tho gate and down
the rough plunk walk to meet hi in.
We saw him coming a little way
I'imii (he street In liN shirtsleeves
ah a his barrow In front of him. ilo
mopped nml lifted Utile J.hn tn his
mviiih, and after a moment put him
down unii embraced Kiltlt.
"Will, I t,.e j Mill love the tender
pmlirtice o' tho wheelbarrow," said Mr.
Uuik. t as we approached the senator.
"My embrnco Is the tenderer of the
two," the lntier laughed with a look
lit his hamK
lie recognised me and seined my
two bauds and shook them as he said t
"rioii my word, here Is my friend
Eiirt I was not looking for s-oti here."
He put Ms hand on my head, now
Idgher than h! sjioulder, and Bald
I wits not looking for you here,"
He asked about my aunt and uncle
ami expressed Joy Bt learulng that I
vviB now under Jlr. Hacket.
"I sliatl be here for a number of
weeks," be said, "and I shall want to
t-ee you often. Maybe we'll go bunt-
Ine Koine S,itnrdii." '
-"
' i... . .
,7 insult? litis Kutm luoruinii anu ne
ivent on with bin whwltiarrow, whleh
Va Ittaded, I remember, with stout
sacks of ineal and flour.
Wfl wc-it ta lie sd'ool jBllalf j?rs
-3 I
' 1 ;
eU:
the ble room, while n fat ctri with
crinkly hair played on a melodeon.
Henry and another boy tried to shove
me out of line and a big paper wad
struck the side of my head as wo were
marching In and after we were seated
a cross-eyed, freckled girl in a red
dress made a face at me.
It was, on the whole, tho unhapplcst
day. of my , llfo. During recess I
slapped a boy's face for calling mo a
rabbit and the two others who came '
io neip nun went away urn or rear
snd astonishment for I had the
strength of a young moose In me tl'.oso
days. After that they began to make !
fpt,.i,.i. ui.h . i
I In the noon hour a man came to me
In .he schoolyard with a subpena for
the exiimluatlou of Amos Grimshaw
and explained Its meaning.
While I was talking with this man
Sally passed me walking with another
girl and said:
"Hello, Hart I"
I observed that Henry Wills joined
1,"IH "n,, walked down the street at
H..IU nun wuiKKu uown uie street at
When school was out that after-
noon Mr. Hacket said I eo have nn
hour to see the sights of the vlllaire.
so I set lt. feelintr much denressed.
I U'ntl.ul ii-
Wright and saw him digging potatoes
In the garden ami went In. 1 knew
that he waa my friend.
"Well, Bart how do you like
school?" he asked.
"Not very well," I answered.
.
"Of course not! it's ni.w to you
now, and you miss your auut and
uncle. Stick to It. You'll make
fiieiiiln and get Interested before long."
"I uul to go home," I declared.
-KOW let s look at in riuuiuiui. " in
' ""KResteit "iou re lost for a minute,
a"J "ko all lost people you're beading
wrong way. Don't be misled by
selfishness. I'crget whnt you want to
alul "'Ink of what we want yu to
(lo We want you to make a man of
U"self. Vou must do it for the sake
o( tllll!" u,'r Pwtf who have done
90 "inch fur yo. The needle points
towarti me sctiooinouse yonder."
He went nn wlih hla w.n-ir n,,,i . .
walked away I understood that the
... .... ... ' uku ub A
w" " referred to was my con-
silence. .
UIO
I went about my chores. There was
to b no more wavering In mv eon.
duet At the supper table Mr. Hacket
kent n liiinttlttB with
us laughing with songs nd jest
stones. The boy John, having
reprove for rapid eating, burled
peon upon the flo,r.
ctwub, hud ji'niv
ntwi Bifi..o in... , v .
been
w "l10"
"Those In favor of his punishment
WU wy ye?" said the school-
i master.
&t&! V -i abl-kt-yintnth-Ieckof
1 CfrsVrrrb.te . I 1 gisting and threw it open
I l"Vy XYRAl,V'S i step In. We enlc.cd
' tZ-h. I MfXTU V ' stone-floored root:, with
I i&il5JcJl ..il" i ells against Its r.ar wall
I Z9L FL?fe iVf the door behind x.i. I
I I Went With Him Whllt He Fed Hi, f , 'y, . tt-.v.mi. " aierj isine 10
CUkkxa M Two Small Shotei It , t .( 1 AS&TXtt t u-caMMt
l tattil WtMml b.,1.. it w .in
:ht. 'What a" thrilling' place "It was' t n, f A k Hlmti" "Ke to order
TT
THE uAILi Crtfurtiidumn
. . .. ... I
rremember that we naa a umueu ;
house ou that importnnt question.
The schoolmaster said: 'Michael
Tenry wishes him to be forgiven on
promise of bet'er conduct, but for the
uext offense he shall ride the bad
ger." This meant lying for a painful mo
ment across his father's knee. .
The ' promise was given and our
merrymaking resumed. The distHet
attorney, whom I had met before,
came to see me after supper and asked
more questions and advised me to talk
with no one about the shooting with
out his consent Soon he went away,
and after 1 had learned my Iessom
Mr. Hacket said:
"Let us walk up to the jail an
spend a few minutes with Amos."
We hurried to the Jail. The sherli
a stout-built, stern-faced man, ndnn.
ted us.
"Can we see the Grimshaw boy V
Mr. Hacket inquired.
"I guess so." he answered as h.
lazily rose from his chair and tool;
down a bunch of large keys which bat",
been hanging on the wall. "His fr
Iher has Just left"
He spoke In a low, solemn t
which impressed me deeply as he t
lighted candle In the hand of .
BCIIUmiMIIMCr. HIV 1-'U U3 u'i'JUh"
i i l tt inj t..Mif,Yi a
door Into a narrow corridor. He thrust
a heavy iron
and bade us
an 111-smelMng
a number of
He locked !
saw a face and
I Saw a Face and Figure Behind the
Grated Door of One of These Cells.
figure In the dim candle light, behind
the grated door of one of these cells.
How lonely and dejected and helpless
was the expression of that figure I The
sheriff went to tho door and un
locked It , i
"Hello, Grimshaw," he said sternly. '
"Step out here." . I
It all went to my heart the man-
nc rs of the sheriff so like the cold Iron
0f his keys and doors the dim candle
: r- f'(Jfi ..
j uni , ,o iv is i iiiA ' nut noots ior
light, the pule, frightened youth who mat's all right," he answered. "I'm
walked toward us. We shook his hand KH'nB to drive to your house this after
and he said that he was glad to see non and your uncle wishes you to
us. I saw the scar under his left ear Eo with me. We are all to have a talk
and reaching out upon his cheek, with Mr. Grimshaw."
which my sloue had made, and knew , Ho left me and I went over to Mr.
that he bore the mark of Cain. , Wright's.
He naked If he eonld spp me nlnne They told me that he was cuttlntr
,md the sheriff shook his head and said
Mterulv
"Against the rules."
, ' , , y. , Bn 1
fl'0' for ye. snld the schoolmaster.
HA....... 1...- ...... -l . , r
"I'm going to come here, now and
then, to cheer ye up and bring ye some
books to read. If there's any word
of advice I can give ye let me know.
Iluve yo u luwyer?"
"There's one coming tomorrow."
'Don't say a word about the case,
boy, to anyone but your lawyer mind
that."
We left him aud went to our home
... , . .
!,r so,.,' 1 'md U0 Ooubt o
KU,lt of A,m,s' 1,llt 1 Rl'k not of
1 10 mXm uul1 the secret worried
,ua
Next, lllnrntnp nn mv n-.iw ...l.. ...I
I Vm a scene more strange and
""moralile Uian any In my long ex-
wWm. I saw tho shabby Ugure of
old U'Jainln Grimsliaw walking in
the side path. His hands were In hla
.,,, . , ...
lckets, his eyes bent upon the ground,
Us "''s vIhk as
us If ho wero In deep
"".uglit. ltovlng Kate, the ragged, !
"ik'nt woman who, for tho fortune of
A""w. bud drawn a glbb
01 " now upon
nn.nijr iifiuiui mo liioucv lent er mi nt.
"' u( "im witn ner bony forefinger.
IIor 8loru '"J'08 watched him as tho cat
wiiU-hes when Its prey Is near It She
11 U not notice me. Silently, her feet
wrapped tu rags, she walked behind
"' "mu, always pointing at ban.
Wnen 1,0 stopped Bhe stepped. When
0(1 resumed his slow progress she fol-
,0wL 11 thrilled aie partly because
h oegun to oeiieve in the weird,
mysterious power of the Klt.mt vv.,.,..
- " .-" uvui'
at 1 n"a twenty miuutes to spare
had twenty mluuten tn
- 'io
f n,a 80 1 turlu"a luo tho main street
behlud laid close by them. I saw him
",1U "uy 8,m,e and an
n.,,!e alul Plec ot cheese. Mean-
""es" B,od pointing at him. He
. but gave no heed tn l.nr n
aw' b' ,"v.,no hwd her. He
ww,kef a,on U,e. font of
l,e 8torp' sne Wtolni a before.
How patiently she followed!
. , it -
walked alomr Iho t... i
I started for the big sehoolhouse and
a number of boys Joined me with
Dlea-saut words,.
oiTr pnAx. yy?nvpgnAY JANUARY 15. 1919
1(K .ho i
- Sally ran last us ,0;
lived Wills boy. who carried nr books
forher. His father had gone m.o the
grocery ousinw
boughten clothe, I couldn't v Sally
now mean ne was.
haMiImi t ,n sneak to her until she
spoke to me. I got along better In
school, although there was some ui
teriug when I recited, probably be
cause I had a broader dialect and big
rer boot than the boys in the village.
CHAPTER IX.
I Meet President Van Buren and Am
Cross-Examined by Mr. Grimshaw.
The days went easier after that
the boys took me into their play and
some of them were most friendly. I
had a swift foot and a good eye as
well as a strong arm, and could hold
my own at three old cata kind of
baseball which we played in tho
schoolyard. Saturday came. Aa we
ere sitting down at tne tame mai ,y cgred for the,
morning the younger children clung growing-never! -and
the knees of Mr. Hacket and Vretty m word-isn't it?
egged him to take them up the river tlm ha come ,Q sight of the nouse.
' Doat- I hisrsed behind a little when I saw
"Good Lord! What wilt thou give he b man sitting on the small
when I grow childless?" he es-, wUh Mrg Wrlgnt j see vlv-
med with his arms around them. . ,he
. .. . Idly, as I write, the full ngure, m
-That was the question. of Abntom. kn1 ,arge nosei tne
and It often cornea to me. Of course hal0 0f silvered
we shall go. But hark! Let us he'.nalr extending trom hls collar to the
what the green chair has to say. ! baIJ t of hls nea(lt He rose and
There was a moment of i illenec . and g
then he went on with a meiry lauBn He m mign the
Mitffhl- u ... 1VTirhnpl IleUrV I XOU :
,.. .,'ht mv hov God bless
- v Rh . t, Bart with
I J UUl DUU1 1
' ' -" . "
lis an' uougtinuts an cneese au wv--i
m' dried meat for all."
From that moment I date the be
ginning of. my love for the occupant
of the green cltait In the home of Mi
chael Hacket. Those good people were
Catholics and I a Protestant and yet
this Michael Henry always Insisted
upon the most delicate consideration
for my faith and feelings.
I promised to spend the morning
In the field with Mr. Wright, If I may
have your consent, sir," I said.
"Tlien we shall conrole ourselves,
knowing that you are m Deuer com-
pany," said Mr. Hacket.
wr. uumceiuerg caueu aiiue uuur
see me after
come with me I
some store clothes
.1 . 1 .1 1 b. : r.
you, ne sum m iuo
.squeaky voice. -;
For a moment I knew not how to
answer him.; Nettled as I had been by
Sally's treutirent of me, the offer was
like rubbing i; . hes on the soreness of
my spirit.
I blushed and surveyed ray garments
a nil said:
r "1 guess I look pretty bad, don't I?"
"You look all right, but I thought
maybe you 'would feel better In softer
raiment, especially lf you care to go
around much with the young people. I
nin an old friend of the family and I
guess It would be proper for me to
buy the clothes for you. When yon
nre older you can buy a suit for me,
some time, lf you cure to."
it should be understood that well-
to-do people In the towns were more
particular about their dress those
davs than now. '
lsk ray aunt and uncle about
It." I proposed.
corn ' the back lot, where I found
him.
ami wanted to buy me some new
clothes and boots," I said.
The senator stopped work and stood
looking at me with his hands upon bis
hips.
"I wouldn't let him do It if I were
you," he said thoughtfully.
Just then I saw n young man come
running toward us In the dlstnnt field.
Mr. Wright took out his compass.
"Look here," he said, "you see the
needle points due north."
l e took a lodestone out of h
needl " fol JL it
.. .
He took a lodestone
youns mnn enme un tn n
breathing deeply. Perspiration was
XIm" TSf
Wl. XJ, t 'n ' I"1
r ' v ' , yU that
, nn Buren ,s at the houae"
1 relwr vividly the look of mild
, 1,1 m ,lne senn!or 8 In(,e and
. - u le raim"ess w'tn which he
looked at the young man and said to
ibamZdow Mrs. Wright to make him com-
on him. walked '''le m our easiest chair and to T u , f ,the nome of Mr
ey lender point- tn President that I shall be up : ? h"rrynK footsteps bel
liresuieui mai l s lall hft nn
To n,T "tter surprise he resumed his
ta,k with me as the young man went
awy-
"iou spe all ways are north when
yu Put this lodestone near the
neeille," he went on. "If it is to tell
-vou the truth yon must keeD the lod.
8tone a,vy from the needle. It's that
way. too, with the compass of your
soul. nnrtn.r lliitn, h i.i.. ,
selfishness, nn -ifh i. hi
- iuv luurniiiiiH m
'Ashness, and with its help you can
' " 'i "HU Ull inn
make any direction look right to you
anJ soonyou're lost."
Ue hound Uie last bundle and then
we wntked together toward the hon
" senator carrying his sickle.
"I shnli i..i. ....
"I shall Introduce you to the presl-
dent." he said as we neared our to-
tlnaUoa. "Then perhaps you had bet-
ter leave ns." ,
- i.tiiniiii.Q vuu io tne nrest-
iknt . ,, l"-si-
1 co'd not remember that I had
evN been "introduced" to anybody I
knevr that neopje rmt their wltson"e
hibitlon and often flung down a -snag"
by way of demonstrating their fitness
thJ hon0r, when they were intro-
fM
.i.nifilY-
"What shall I say when when yon
. . j,.,,- mpy
-Introduce mer
"Oh. sav anything you want to say.
he answered with a look of amuse
ment. . "I'm kind o scared," I said.
j "Ton needn't be he was once
poor boy just like you."
i "Just like me!" I repeated thougnt-
! fully, for -vbiie I had heard a good
deal of that kind of thing In our home,
it had not. somehow, got under my
' Jacket, as they used to say.
"Just like you cowhide and all
the son of a small freeholder in Kln
derhook on the Hudson," he went on.
"But he was well fed In brain and
body and kept his heart clean. So of
course he grew and Is still growing.
That's a curious thing about men and
ammpn Bnrt If they are In good
, reaPer' t ,., .
t Mr' vvrlent nul,.nls 8,7'.u.r."
ntvtoll tinn in t in iinnrrnm H11C1 IIU"
Ullinil AU HV WVV j -
swered
"The plowman has overtaken the
reaper, Mr. President. I bid you wel
come to my humble home."
"It is a pleasure to be here and a
regret to call you back to Washing
ton," said the president as they shook
hands.
"I suppose that means an extra ses
sion," the senator answered.
"First let m renssnre von. I Shall
get aw(iy as s()on as rossU)ie for i
know that a nres!(1(,nt iH a heavy bur-
tclJ for one to have on his hands."
liDon,t won.y j ran get along wlth
almost anv kind of a human being, es-
pedallv lf ne like pmlling and milk as
well as you do," saitl the senator, who
then introduced mo in these words:
"Mr. President, this is my young
friend, Barton Baynes, of the neigh
borhood of Lickltysplit In the town
of Ballybeen a coming man of this
county."
"Pnmp nn " wna tho nlnvful remark
of tne vrcsldoRt as ne took ray han(li
, he fn vn,,
I had carefully chosen my words
and I remember saying, with some dig
nity, like one In a story book, although
with a trembling voice:
"It Is nn honor to meet you, sir, and
"It Is an Honor to Meet You, Sir, and
Thank You For the Right to Vote
When I urn Old Enough."
thank you for the right to vote when
I am old enough."
Vlvldly, too, I remember his gentle
smile as he looked down at me and
said in a most kindly tone :
"I think It a great honor to hear
you say that."
He put his hands upon ray shoulders
and turning to the senator said:
"Wright, I often wish that I had
your modesty."
I need It much more than you do,"
it iiiiii'Ti wi
the senator lanehert
. SttrnS',tway I left them with an
s..r,,,f
now ana blushing to the
Racket
and the voice of Sally calling my name.
I stopped and faced about.
How charming 8he looked as she
walked toward me! I had never seen
her quite so fixed tip.
not going to speak to me."
411.Speakon,e"I''red.
t. v t0 Speak to you" she said!
7 'ooKing all around for you
Mother wants yon tn
:
dinner with us at 1nsr t,v-0i,.
- "mc uvHr Tt
x, . ns nt nst twelve o'clock
n . v ' M vl I r If I'll If'BT
re 80 "B away with f"ther as soon
as we et through."
Wfinted to go but got the notion all
at once tnt the DunkelberM '
tall
s in
need ot mformaUon about me and
the time hart . . 1 lnal
!J' tlme had Pome taipart it So
thn mi there "clent OIymDng
f Ur famIly ed notice ..
were- "
w tinnnrr jt Rrt
tn.n (h. . 'u " 00
IT M
t asa.D.iojy tjo. herk I,
133
,rif-ow that MI upon" l.or 6m. She
.ivesod and turned land ran away
from me without another word and I
r. pang of regret as I went e
buely and deserted home of tie
schoolmaster.
At
twelve-thirty air. i-'uiir.u.s
tnr nie.
with a msn-siep.uiis
horse In a new narnew .,u ..........
.Ull-running buggy. He -wore gloves
and a bMver hat and sat very erect
and had little to say.
"I hear yon met the president,
be
remarked.
"Yes. sir I was Introduced to nlra
thM morning." I answered a bit too
-romlly snd wondering how he bad
heard of my gol frtune- bat alJ
gratified at his knowledge of It.
"What did he have to say?"
I described the Interview and the
,ooks of the great man. Not much
mow was said as we aped I away
toward the deep woods and the blgb
nil'-
I was eager to get home but won
dered why he should be going with me
to talk with Mr. Grimshaw and' my
irele Of course I suspected that It
had t'o do with Ainos, but how I knew
,.f He hummed in the rough going
and thoughtfully flicked the bushes
willi his whip. I never knew a more
persistent hummer.
Aunt Deel shook hands with Mr.
Duukelberg and then came to me and
said:
"Wal, Eart Baynes! I never was so
glad to see anybody in all the days o
my life-ayes! We beo:i lookln' up
the rond for an hour eyes! You
come right Into the house this min
uteboth o' you."
The table was spread with the
things I enjoyed most-big, brown bis-'
cults and a great comb of honey sur
rounded with its nectar and a pitcher
of milk and a plate of cheese and some
jerked moat and an nr''le pte.
"Set right down an' eat I Just
want to see ye eat eyes I do !"
Mr. Grimshaw came soon after we
had finished our luncheon. He hitched
his horse at the pest r.nd came In.
"Good day," he said, once and for
all, as he came In at the open door.
Baynes, I want to have a talk witn
j you an(J he )()y Te me wnllt yoll
! innw nimr that murder."
"Wal, I had some business over to
Plattsburg," my uncle began. "While
I was there I thought I'd go and see
Amos. So I drove out to Beekman's
farm. They told me that Amos had
left there after workln' four days.
They gave him fourteen shilllns an'
he was goln' to take the stage in the
mornln'. He left some time in the
night an', took Beekman's rifle with
him, so they said. There was a piece
o' wood broke out o' the stock o' the
rifle. That was the kind o' gun that
was used in the murder."
It surprised me that my uncle knew
all this. He had said nothing to me
of his journey or Its result.
"How do you know?" snapped Mr.
Grimshaw.
"This boy see It plain. It was a
gun with a piece o' wood broke out
o' the stock."
"Is that so?" was the brusque de
mand of the money lender as he
turned to me.
"Yes, sir," I answered.
"The boy lies," he snapped, and
turning to my uncle added : "Yer mad
'cause I'm tryln' to mnke ye pay yer
honest debts ain't ye now?"
Uncle Peabody, keeping his temper,
shook his head and calmly said : "No,
I ain't anything ag'In' you or Amos,
but It's got to be so that a man can
travel the roads o' this town without
getlin' his head blowed off."
Mr. Dunkelberg turned to me and
asked :
"Are you sure that the stock of the
gun you saw was broken?"
"Yes, sir and I'm almost sure it
was Amos that ran away with It"
"Why?"
"I picked up a stone and threw it
at him and It grazed the left side of
his face, and the other night I saw
the scar It made."
My aunt and uncle and Mr. Dunkel
berg moved with astonishment as I
spoke of the scar. Mr. Grimshaw,
with keen eyes fixed upon me," .gave a
i little grunt of lncrednlitv.
j ""uh ! Liar 1" he muttered.
! "I am not a liar," I declared with In-
dignatlon, whereupon my aunt angrily
stirrl the fire In the stove and Uncle
Teabody put his hand on my arm and
snid:
! "Hush, Bart! Keep your temper
S0D"
. "U J0" te these things you may
. the DlcaM of "ending an innocent
boy to his death," Mr. DnnkeW . m
to me "I wouldn't be too sure about
nm It T ouiC UIJUIH
.Iwe'eyou' so easy to be
JTw YU Cmmt be sure In the
, 1 ule slone really hit him
- IVlil
I answered: "Yes, sir-I S(vw the
oThBhVDdISnWl"ira P"' his hand
on the place while he was running
I Buess it hurt him some." Umg
"Look a' here, Baynes," Mr. Grim
shaw began In that familiar scoldTg
n'Ve Sh't'r What
an we might jest ns well git richt
down to business first as last vl
t-P this boy still an' I'SVvfyeSe
years' interest" 6 ,e "Y8
Annt Deel gave a irnn j
covered her mth "ZIL" il"LK"
Uncle Ppniln.i . ner nand.
LncIe Peabody chaneed rni.
"VUI l 1 IJ1 II vtf
rose from his chair with n tZl , ,
on his face. He iAvTgl
W5 III
on his
hnnJ I.
and ln tne as he said '
"Ey the eternal t,,m,ir
He stopped, nulled nL
Rleoro vi. . u oown the
Sleeve of flannel shirt ,L , e"
to " water pall and drant W"
the diPPer. out of
"Say Mr Trim V
,v uis nannei Rhti-t
. ... "uuuci s,nlrt
Say, Mr. Grimh0 t.
tot ye," said mv ZZ ""J
chair, "b
the truth an' the hull
- --iL-o"u;. ii u oe
be hard to
staftrder Sg'lu an' yOu can ft- '
It ye want to an' Tin as seared ; 1 "
as a mouse In a cut's paWi ZH
boyhas got to tell the truth rlei
plain. I couldn't muzsle hha J
tried he's too much of a m? ! !
you're scared o' the truth yo,0, M
know that Amos Is guilty." -' j
Mr. Grimshaw shook his head
anger and beat the floor with th
e? bis cane, m
"Nobody knows anything o' then
Baynes," said Mr. Dunkelherg, 5
course Amos never thought o' in
anybody. He's a harmless klnoV
boy. I know him well and so d
Under the circumstances Mr ft
shaw is afraid that Bart's storv
make It difficult for Amos to
bis innocence."
Uncle Peabody shook his head
a look of firmness.
Again Grimshaw laughed beW
Us teeth as he looked at m,
In his -view every man had hj Z
"I see that Tm the mouse an' ?
the cat," he resumed, as that
laugh rattled In bis throat "Loot ,
here, Baynes, Til tell ye what I'M 1
111 cancel the hull mortgage."
Again. Uncle Peabodjr rose from
chair with a look In his face which !
have never forgotten. How bis Tola
rang out I
"No, sir t" he shouted so loudly th
we all Jumped to our feet and Am
Deel covered her face with her apn
and began to cry. It was like the .
plosion of a blast. Then the tr!
ments began falling with a loud crash'
"NO, SIB! TE CAN'T BUY TEE
NAIL ON MY LITTLE FINGER 08
"No, Sir! Ye Can't Buy the Nail
My Little Finger or His With All
Yer Money Damn Youl"
HIS WITH ALL TER MONEI
D NYOU!"
It was like the shout of Israel tim
the top of the mountains. Shej
bounced into the house with hair tm
end and the chickens cackled and the
old rooster clapped his wings ini
crowed with all the power of his tana
Every member of that little group
stood stock still and breathless.
I trembled with a fear I could not
! have defined. Mr. Grimshaw shuffled
1 out of the door, his cane rapping the
floor'as if his arm had been strlckea
with palsy ln a moment.
Mr. Dunkelberg turned to my ant,
his face scarlet, and muttered anap
ogy for the disturbance and followed
the money lender.
i "Come on, Bnrt." Uncle Peabo!
called cheerfully, as-he walked toward
, the barnyard. "Let's go an' git n
them but'nuts."
He paid no attention to our visi
torsneither did my aunt, who fol
lowed us. The two men talked to
gether a moment, unhitched ttei
horses, got Into their buggies an1?
drove away.
"Wal, I'm surprised at Mr. Horace
Dunkelberg tryln' to come it ovet
like that ayes I I be," said Aunt Deel
"Wal. I ain't." 'said Uncle Peabo
"01' Grimshaw has got him under lb
thumb that's what's the matter.
You'll find he's up to his ears ln deK
to Grimshaw nrob'ly."
As we followed him toward tie
house, he pushing the wheelbaiW
loaded with sacks of- nuts, he added:
"At last Grimshaw has found ao
thin' that he can't buy an' he's avrf
surprised. Too bad he didnt lean
that lesson long ago."
He stopped his wheelbarrow by tt
steps and we sat down together
the edge of the stoop as he added:
"I got mad they kep' plckin' on m
so I'm sorry, but I couldn't help a
We'll start up ag'ln somewheres If
have to, There's a good many w
work in me yet"
As we carried the bags to the at
room I thought of the lodestone
the compass and knew that Mr. ww
had foreseen what was likely to W
pen.
When we came down Uncle
body said to me: tat
"I feel sorry, awful sorry, for
boy."
We spent a silent afternoon gall
lng apples. After supper we p'ar
old sledge and my uncle had W
work to keep us In good counted j
We went to bed early and I W
hearing the autumn wind ln the pw1,
leaves and thlnklne of that great tt
which had grown strong within
little by little, in the candle llg
CHAPTER X.
A Party and My Fourth P
mlddle 0f tjie. afternoon .Und-
4.1. WHM M VQITIV 1 1 1 1 1 ! 1 V .
9
I