Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-07-23
"How's that?o said Joe. anxious to be-.

| oldy III previous knowledge.
i've come to give evidence in trial
| that's coming off in your county town."
answered Groom, motioning toward the
Milham shore. I've travelled nigh five
| hundred miles on purpose to do it, and
| I'd travel five hundred more if 'twas
needed"
"Is it the Sawyer trial you mean ?"
asked Joe, carelessly "People have been
saying there amt evidence enough to
make a case, but [ suppose that there's
something new turned ups"
81 should rather think so; something
that'll make case hold John Sawyer as
tight as his coffin"
Joe clinched his hand on his oar. He
was beginning to understand Margy'st
hatred for this man, with his open exulta-
ton in the ruin he was going to work
'Im sorry for the old man." he said,
after pause, sand SO are most folks about
here. Wilson was known for bully, and,
II Sawyer really done it, twas that-that
and the drink, for when he's himself he
wouldn't hurt worm
you've no need to tell me what John
Sawyer ISL said the other, shortly. II
knew him before you was born, before
he came into these partsn
WELL" said the boatman, you've a
queer notion of old acquaintance sake
then, that's alln
"I'n give him a swing for old acquaint
ance sake, if / CAM replied Groom,
with a scowl
Joe drew quick breath.
Can you do that ~ he said
''That or a lifer. [ tell you, my man, I
s0oo 1t done."
"You saw Sawyer kill Wilson % ex-
ri aI o6 cto i,
81 saw him strike the blow that killed
him, and that comes to pretty nigh the
same thing, take it,
"But how is it you've kept back all
along?"
"Well, it's like this,'' said Groom, who
appeared to be in a more communicative
mood than while before. "The day of the
murder-to begin at the beginning-I hap
pened to be passing through Milham, and
stopped over a train there to see a man
had dealings with. He lived little out
OF the town, a lonesome road, part of the
way across some fields I did nv bust
ness, and started back alone, as | had
come. Halfway, or thereabout, heard
kind of.cussing and quarreling in the next
field-right close to my ear It sounded,
only couldn't see anything for the high
hedge. Whats up?' thinks l. might as
well take a peep Twas an uncommon
fine evening; 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 | saw him strike
out, and the other man went down like
log"
'sAnd you let him lay ~ interrupted
Joe, in excitement. "You never called
for help, nor nothing?"
'What for 90 said Groom, carelesslv. 81
thought twas just drunken QUARREL
knew what Sawyer Was-and [ 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. 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 central
circumstances agreed with that evening
so, then, [ knew [ had seen the thing
DONE" Nt N HI
Groom paused moment and when he
resumed 1t was in an distracted tone.
''Iwasn't particularly convenient for me
to leave my business just then if it'd been
anybody else, I'd likely have left the poor.
qevli 70 sink OF swim as might be, but
John Sawyer! [ tell YOU" he continued,
through his set teeth as, catching the
boatmans eye, he appeared suddenly con
scious of listener, 'I'd let all I've got 90
10 rack and ruin for the pleasure of seeing
John Sawyer stand there, a disgraced and
convicted man, and saying to 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 preach
er, this poor, untaught boatman; he did
not know how to tell the man before him
that his promised revenge was cruel and
coWardly; but yet he felt that, even setting
aside Margy's interests, there was some
thlng IN 1T which reused all his instincts
OF resistance. He shook his head as he
thought about it.
That's feeling I can't make out" he
said, half aloud
Cant you?'' said Groom, shortly, sup
posing the remark addressed to himself.
"Have you got sweetheart, young man ?n
he added, abruptly, after short pause.
| "A sweetheart" repeated Joe, starting
at the associations connected with the
question, and the man who put it.
well, you've no cause to be shy of
owning il" said Groom, who had noticed
tuo movement. "A sweetheart, when she's
the right sort, is what no man need be
ashamed Of [ had one myself when I
was your age" he stopped moment
Il don't 'spose you'd often see her like,
[ never did There was a girl up at
that place, that tavern there, had kind
of look of her about the eyes and fore
head, but nothing to compare I had a
friend, too-well, it amt much of story,n
Groom broke off, with dry laugh, "and
| don't hardly know why tell it at all,
only, maybe, it'll help you make out what
seems to puzzle you. The long and the
short of it is, that my friend-mind that,
youngster my friend cheated me out of
my sweetheart. [ amt much to look at.
L know-never was; but [ could care for
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 become
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,
looking darkly in his listeners earnest
face, "that if ever my day come, I'd be
even with John Sawyer; never thought
'twould, but it has, and do you think IN