News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1897-11-03
A DEPUTY CULPRIT
Copyright, 1897, by the Author.l
By FRANCIS LYNDE.

stone in the loom up at Ma'am Wilke-
sons, whar l yeen sIeepin.
81 see. You were afraid to spend it,
suppose.
Late hung his head. II new thort
much about bein afraid. Twas savin hit
ag'inst the time when Willie'd let on
like she was ready"
"OhP' Inspector Jaffray went into
brown study, coming out of it presently
to say to CantrelI: "You can go now,
Bud, if you want to. can take care of
him all right. l only wanted you to
hear what he had to say for himself. "
Cantrell went back to the store, where
he found little Joe Anderson trying to
climb into his brothers. saddle. The boy
had been crying, and his face was
streaked with dirt and tears.
''Mighty tough, amt it, Joey?" said
Cantrell, lifting the boy to the horses
back. "What all was you 'lowin to do
with the hawss?"
81 thess gwine take him home" said
the small one, gathering up the reins
and wriggling his bare feet into the
stirrup feathers. But Cantrell noticed
that instead Of turning off up the lane
to Ma'am WilkesOn's the child kept
the road toward the Gap, urging the
horse into a gallop as soon as he was
over the rocky hillside beyond Layne's
Inspector Jatfray's guard duties dur
tng the remainder of the afternoon were
of a kind merely nominal. Layne was
away, and the inspector and his prisoner
had the front porch to themselves. Jaf-
fray said little but he encouraged An
derson to talk, fitting his chair against
the side of the house and shrouding
himself in clouds of smoke while Lafe
told of his life on Long mountain with
his old father; of his counting of Willie
Godfrey; of the young girls loyalty,
and Of her fathers contempt for the son
of mountaineer. "The valley folks
don't marry with we uns, mr. we uns
with them, though l reckon they amt
no law 'gainst hit, " he said in explana-
ton, and Jaffray agreed with him.
When Layne came home, few words
explained the situation, and the farmers
hospitality was broad enough to cover
not only his friend friend, but in this
>
unmanacled LATE when they went in to
supper, but he put the handouts on
again afterward, and when the early
bedtime of the family came he led the
young mountaineer into the porch bed
room and took additional pr2caution Of
swapping another set Of irons on his
ankles
"Not very pleasant fer you, my boy, "
he said, "but [ can't help it. | mustn't
give you chance to slip through my
fingers.
After which the inspector went back
to his chair ca the porch, where he
smoked many cigars and communed
with himself for want Of a better listen
er. Once his reflections slipped into
speech: 'It all goes back to the same
thing in the end. We've got no manner
of right to take man who has never
been taught the lesson of responsibility
and put him in place where he has to
rub up against temptation every day.
That's the long and short of it. Just the
same l wish l might have given this
youngster a shock without catching
him. That might have been the making
of him, but this is going to ruin him
world without end. "
AT 10 o'clock the inspector had seri-
Gus thoughts of turning in, but before
the inclination gathered force enough
to overcome the inertia of the tilted
chair there came a Gathering of q
horse hoofs on the loose single of the
Gap road. The rider dismounted at
Layne's gate, and the inspector lighted
fresh cigar when he saw the figure Of
woman coming up the path toward
the house.
"This is the girl in the case of
course, " he muttered. "Now, how the
devil did she find out?''
In another moment she stood before
him, and though the cigar was burning
well enough he made it the excuse to
strike another match, in the brief flare
of which he got glimpse Of pair Of
flashing eyes set in face whereon grief
and resolution fought for the mastery.
"You're Mr.. Jaffray, amt your" she
began.
"Yes, and you are Willie Godfrey.
Sit down, Miss Godfrey"
She dropped into a chair as if thank
full for the permission. II reckon you
know what I've come for. I heard you
all had taken LafeAnderson for rob.
bin the mail, and'-
pardon me, Miss Godfrey" inter-
rupted the inspector. "How did you find
that out?"
"Bad news don't wait for an OK team.
heard about it, and I've come 80 miles
on that hawss to keep you all from car
ryin an innocent man to Jail LATE
new did take anything that didn't be-
long to him, Mr.. Jaffray."
The inspector smoked in silence for a
full minute. "Supposing were to tell
you that he has confessed"
cit don't make any difference. He
aim the thief. 4"
"Then why should he say he wasp
"Cayn't you see? He just told you a
heap of.lies to cover up the real one "
"And who is the real one, Miss God
frey?'
81 am"
It was we'll for the girls peace of
mind that she could not see the ineffaee-
able smile that stole over the face Of the
inspector at this, but there was no hint
of levity in lis voice when he said,