The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-08-02

nut W ecu.
Flows that? said Joe, anxious to be-
tray no previous knowledge nsr.
i've to give evidence in a trial that's
coming off in your county town." answered
Groom, motioning toward the Milham shore.
g I've travelled nigh five hundred miles on
purpose to do it, and d travel five hundred
miles more if twas needed" e 81
Is it the Sawyer trial you mean?" ask
ed Joe, carelessly. People have been say
ing there amt evidence enough to make
case, but l 'spose then there's something
new turned up?"
Il should rather think so; something
that'll make case'll hold John Sawyer as
tight as his coffin G
Joe clinched his hand on bis oar.l He
was beginning to understand Marcy hatred
for this man, with his open exultation in
the ruin he was going to work.
I'm sorry for the old man." he said. af
ter aspause, land so are most folks about
here. Wilson was known for bully, and,
if Sawyer really done it, twas that-that
and the drink, for when he's himself he
wouldn't hurt worm" us
You've no need to tell me what John
Sawyer is,' said the other, shortly. knew
him before you was born, before ever he
came into these parts"
Well" said the boatman, you've a
queer notion of old acquaintance sake then
that's ALL"
I'll give him swing for old acquaint
ance sake, if 1 can" replied Groom, with a
scowl. eaF-aa q Al F
Joe drew quick breath.
Can you do that" he said.
"That or llfer. tell you, my man, I
sa,c ii done"
You saw Sawyer kill Wilson," exclaim-
ed Joe, stopping short on his oars.
6" saw him strike the blow that killed
him, and that comes to pretty nigh the same
thing take it" Gst
d" But how is it you've kept back all along?"
Well, it's like this, said Groom, who
appeared to be in more communicative
mood than while. before. The day of
the murder-to begin at the beginning-T
happened to be passing through Milham
and stopped over train there to see man
| had dealings with He lived little out
of the town, lonesome road, part of the
way across some fields. did my business
and started back again alone, as i had come
Halfway. or there about, heard kind of
cussing and quarreling in the next field
right close to my ear it sounded, only |
couldn't see any thing for the high hedge.
: What's up?' thinks |, might as well take
a peep Twas an uncommon fine even
ing moonlight you could almost see to read
by, and knew Sawyer as soon as / set
eyes on him. His face was turned exactly
to me, and ugly enough it looked then. The
next minute l saw him strike out, and the
other man went down like log"
And you let him lay?" interrupted Joe,
in excitement. gu never called for help,
nor nOthing?"
What fort? F" said Groom carelessly. 81
thought twas just drunken quarrel Il
knew what Sawyer was-and I left 'em to
settle it between themselves. | had to look
sharp for the next train, so | hurried back
to the hotel, and none too soon either. I
never thought again about the matter, till
the other day happened to hear that John
Sawyer was going to be tried for murder,
and, talking this way and that, found the
time and the gen'ral circumstances agreed
with that evening-so, then, knew had
seen the thing DONE" E
Groom paused a moment, and when he
resumed it was in anabstracted tone.
"Twasn't particularly convenient for me
to leave my business just then; if it been
anybody else, I'd likely bave left the poor
devil to sink or swim as might be, but j Ohm
Sawyer! tell you" he continued, through
his set teeth, as, catching the boatman's eye,
he appeared suddenly conscious Of listen
er, " I'd let all have got go to rack and
ruin for the pleasure of seeing John Sawyer
stand there disgraced and convicted man,
and saying tc him, Twas me that did it >"
There was something in Joe Gorton's
breast on which the fierce words and man.
ner Jared painfully. He was no preacher
this poor, uDtaught boatman he did not
know how to tell the man before him that
his promised revenge was cruel and coward
ly /; but yet he felt that even setting aside
Margy's interests, there was something in it
which reused all his instincts of resistance.
He shook his head as he thought about it.
That's feeling | can't make out" he
said half aloud. .h
Can't you ?" said Groom, shortly, sup
posing the remark addressed to himself.
" Have you gota sweetheart, young man 2"
he added, abruptly, after short pause.
"A sweetheart f" repeated Joe, starting
at the associations connected with the ques-
ton, and the man who putt.
"Weil, you've no cause to be shy of own
ing it," said Groom, who had noticed the
"A sweetheart, when she's the
right sort, is what no man need be ashamed
Of l had one myself when ] was your age
=" he stopped moment-"I don't spose
you'd often see her like, Inever did. There
was girl up at that place, that tavern there,
had kind Of look of her about the eyes and
forehead, but nothing to compare had a
friend, towel. it amt much story"
Groom broke off with dry laugh, e and 1
don't hardly know why tell it at all, only,
maybe, it'll help you to make out what
seems to puzzle you. The long and the
short OF it is, that my friend--mind that.
my friend cheated me out of my sweetheart.
amt much to look at, know, never was.
but could care for a woman just as much
as if I'd been six foot high, and fresh as a
rose, and I'd take my oath she cared for me
too, till he came between US with false
tongue enough to turn any girls head. Well,
he come off FIRST best; she left me and went
away with, him.. | swore then, boy said
Groom, locking darkly in his listeners earn
estrface, that, n ever my day comet d be
even with John Sawyer; | never thought
twould, but it has, aud do You think III let
my chance slip now? No, By God :" and
the man brought down his fist with force
that shook the boat-side. 80 =.
That was hard lines, sure enough said
Jees-thoughtfully, but, MIR. Groom. YOU
was speaking just now of girl up at the
tavern there? She's my sweetheart. and"
added the boatman. slowly, !. she Sawyer
girl his only chiid'' = :
: "NOl" exclaimed Groom, evidently NOV
ed by the intelligence. Hetty's child" he
p,uttorod IN biusalF Z. uat.vss 5b;tI -, "