Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-10-28

day, and that swear, so you choose be-
tween us. Hark |" she turned to listen.
"I can't stay" She pressed her hand
hard on his shoulder, looking up pite-
ously in his face. "Joe, if ever you
cared for me, save that poor old mani Z"
And before he couli answer she was
gone, leaving him looking after her like
one in a dream.
The clouds were getting lower and
heavier as the boatman set off with his
passenger.
"Looks as if we should have spell
of weather." said the latter, glancing
from the leaden sky to the leaden water.
Hope you'rewhat they cracked you up
to be, for if I got ducking here l
shouldn't find myself again in hurry" "
Well, I'm as good as they average,
l reckon, mister-I didn't hear your
name," said Joe, looking mp inquiring-
ly.
"Peter Groom is my name, and one l
amt ashamed of it'll be pretty well
known in these parts by this day week,
I'm thinking" and the man smiled q
smile not pleasant to see.
Elbows that2 said Joe, anxious to
betray no 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 2"
asked Joe, carelessly. "People have
been saying there amt evidence enough
to make case, but l 'spose there's
something new turned up2"
"I should rather think so something
that make case'll hold John Sawyer
as tight as his coffin"
Joe clinched his hand Oh his oar. He
was beginning to understand Marcy 8
hatred for this man, with his open exul-
tation in tho ruin he was going to work.
"I'm sorry for the old man" he said,
after pause, "and so are most folks
about here. Wilson was known for a
bully, and, if Sawyer really done it,
twas that-that end 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 were born, before
even he came into these parts.'
"Well," said the boatman, "you've
queer notion of old acquaintance
sake then, that's oil.
"I'll give him swing for old ac-
quaintance' sake, if 1 can," replied
Groom, with scowl.
loo draw q u1Iicl braafh
"Can you do that2" he asked.
"That or lifer. I tell you, my man,
I saw it DONE"
"You saw Sawyer kill Wilson 2" ex-
claimed Joe, stopping short on his oars.
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
along2"
"Well, it's like this" said Groom,
who appeared to be in more communi-
cative mood than while before.
"The day of the murder-to begin at
the beginning-I happened to be pass
ing through Milham, and stopped over
a train there to see a man 1 had deal
ings with. He lived little out of the
town, q lonesome road, part of the way
across some fields. I did my business,
aud started back again alone, as 1 had
come. Half way, or thereabout, ]
heard a kind of cussing and quarreling
in the next field-right close to my eai
it sounded, only couldn't see anything
for the high hedge. whats up 2
thinks 1, might as we'll 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 ex-
actly to me, and ugly enough it looked
then. The next minute l saw him strike
out, and the other went down like 9
log"
"And you let him lay 2" interrupted
Joe, in excitement. "You never called
for help, nor nothing ?"
What for 2" said Groom, carelessly.
81 thought twas just drunken quar-.
rel-I knew what Sawyer was-and
left 'em to settle it between themselves.
L 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, talk
ing this way and that, found the time
and the gen'ral circumstances agreed
with that evening-so, then, knew ]
had seen the thing done"
Groom paused moment, md wheI
he resumed it was in an distracted tone
"Twasn't particularly convenient fol
me to leave my business just then il
it'd been anybody else I'd likely have
left the poor devil to sink OF swim, o.
might be, but John Sawyer! I tel
you," he continued, through his Sc
teeth, as, catching the boatman's eye
he appeared suddenly conscious of
listener, "I'd let all I've got go to racl
and ruin for the pleasure of seeing Johi
Sawyer stand there, a disgraced and con
victed man, and saying to him 'Twa:
me that did it ="
There was something in Joe Gorton',
breast on which the fierce words ant
manner Jared painfully. He was n,
preacher, this poor, untaught boatman
he did not know how to tell the man be
fore him that his promised revenge wa
cruel and cowardly but yet he felt that
even setting aside Margy's interests
there was something in it which rouse,
all his instincts of resistance. He shool
his head as he thought about it,
"That's feeling I can't make out,
he said, half aloud.
"Can't you9" said Groom, shortly
supposing the remark to be addresse,
to himself. "Have you got sweet
heart, young man 2" he added, abruptly
; after short pause.
ga sweetheart" repeated Joe, start
! ing at the associations connected wit
! the question, and the man who put il