The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-10-10

| you're what they cracked you up to be, FOL
if got ducking here shouldn't find my
self again in hurry"
"Well, I'm as good as they'll average,
reckin. mister I didn't hear your name,
said Joe, looking up enquiringly.
'Peter Groom is my name, and one AIM
ashamed of; it'll be pretty well known in
these parts by this day week, I'm thinking,
and the man smiled smile not pleasant to
| see.
blows that 2" said Joe, anxious to be.
tray no previous knowledge.
"I'ye come to give eviden e in trial
! that's coming off in your county town." an
| swercd Groom, motioning toward the Mil
| ham shore. 1--WE travelled nigh five hun
dred miles on purpose to do it, and I'd tray
el five hundred more if twas needed"
SIS it the Sawyer trial you mean ~ ask ed
| Joe, carelessly. "People have been saying
there amt evidence enough to make a case,
| but | 'spose then there's something new
turned up 2"
~ should rather think so; something
| that'll make IA casU'll hold John Sawyer us
tight as his coffin"
Joe clinchcd his hand on his oar. He
was beginning to understand Margys ha-
tired for this man, with his open exultation
in the ruin he was going to work.
"Im sorry for the old man" he said, af-
ter pause, 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"
"You've no need to tell me what John
Sawyer is" said the other shortly. 81
knew him before you was born, before ever
he came into these parts"
"Well, said the boatman, "you've queer
notion Of old acquaintance sake then, that's
all"
"I'll give him swing for old acquain-
lance sake if can" replied Groom, with
II scowl.
Joe drew quick breath.
Can you do that 2" he said.
"That or litter. tell You, my man, I
saw it done.'
"You saw Sawyer kill Wilson e. cxclaim-
ed Joe, stopping short on his oars.
~ 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
alongH
"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 beginnng-I
happened to be passing through Milham,
and stopped over train there to see a man
l had dealings with. He lived little ont
of town, Il lonesome road, part of the way
across some fields. did my business, and
started back again alone, as | had come
Halfway or thereabouts, l heard kind of
cussing and quaIreling in the next field
right close to my car it sounded, only |
couldn't see anything for the high hedge.
What's up 2 thinks l, might as well take
| peep Twas an uncommon fine evening;
moonlight you could almost see to read by,
and knew Sawyer as soon as 1 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 a log"
"And You let him lay ?" interrupted Joe,
in excitement. "You never called for help,
nor nothing?"
"What for 2" said Groom, carclcssly II
thought twas drunken QUARREL knew
what Sawyer was-and left them 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 taking this way and that, found the
time and the central circumstances agreed
with that evening-so, then, l knew had
seen the thing DONE"
Groom paused moment, and when he
resumed it was in an distracted tone.
| "Twasn't particularly convenient for me
to leave my business just then if it'd been
anybody else, I'd likely have left the poor
devil to sink or swim as might be, but
John Sawyer I tell you," he continued
through his set teeth, as, catching the boat
mans eyes, he appeared suddenly conscious
of listener, "I'd let all I've got go to rack
and ruin for the pleasure of seeing John
man, and saying to him, Twas me that did
| it !"
"Therc was something in Joe Gorton's
breast on which the fierce words and man,
ner Jared painfully. He was no preacher
this poor untaught boatman; he did moi
know how to tell the man before him thai
his promised revenge was cruel and COW
ardly; but yet he felt that, even setting
aside Margy's interests, there was some
thing in it which reused all his instincts o.
resistance He shook hishead as he thought
about it.
"That's feeling l can't make out" he
said, half aloud.
"Can't you2' said Groo II, shortly, sup
posing the remark addressed to himself
"Have you got sweetheart, young man 2
he added, abruptly, after short pause.
"a sweetheart 2" repeated Joe, starting
at the associations connected with the ques
ton, and the man who put it.
"Well, you've no cause to be shy of own
ing it" said Groom, who had noticed the
movement "a sweetheart, when she's the
right sort, is what no man need be aslam
ed Of | had one myself when I was your
age" he stopped a moment 81 dom
spose you'd often see her like, never did
There was a girl up at that place, that tav
ern there, had kind of look of her about
the eyes and forehead, but nothing to com
pare had friend, too-well, it ain
much of a story" Groom broke with dry
laugh, "and don't hardly know why
tell it at all, only, maybe, it'll help yor
make out what seems to puzzle you. The
long and short of it is, that my friend
mind that, youngster my friend cheated
me out of my sweetheart amt much tt
look at, | know, never was, but coult
care for a woman just as much as if II
been six foot high, and fresh as rose, ant
I'd take my oath she cared for me too, til
he came between us with a false tongue
enough to turn any girls head. Well Ii
| come off first best she left mo and won