Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-06-18

notes There were two twos, a one and
u five, anf Jaffray glanced at the num-
bers before putting the money into his
pocket.
He's our man." he said quietly.
go and talk to him and take him to
the door with you. When you see me at
his other elbow, grab him and hold
him. Do you underestimate
Cantrell nodded and sauntered back
into the store WANT to see you min
ute, LATE, he said, linking his arm in
that of the mail carrier and leading
him toward the front door. On the step
Cantrell saw the inspector over Lafes
shoulder and obeyed his instructions
literally. There was n fierce struggle,
like that of an unbrokcn horse when he
first feels the weight of man on his
back, ending in the ratchetlike click
of the handouts, and then the prisoner
relapsed quickly into quietudo and sui
lenness.
Jaffray spoke to Cantrcll. II want
you to come with me. Well take him
up to Laync's for the night.
Late suffered himself to be walked
away between them, and no word was
spoken until they reached the porch Of
the farmhouse. There the inspector
placed three chairs and sat down to
question his prisoner.
lyon may as we'll make clean breast
of it, my boy" he said after LATE had
sulkily resisted for a time. It'll go
easier with you in the end, and I'll do
what l can to get your sentence short
ened if you'll II open your head and tell
us all about it. "
In the silence that followed this APP
peal there was rustling in the laurel
bush at the end of the porch, and Jaffray
got up to investigate He came back in
moment apparently satisfied, but this
was because he failed to see little Joe
Anderson covering under the dropping
branches of the laurel.
You'd better open up, Anderson"
he repeated We've got all the evil
dence we need; but, as l say, l II do all l
can to help you if you'll tell us the
whole story"
Whereupon, being something less
than a hardened criminal, the young
mountaineer broke down.
II don't keer much what-all you do
with me- S long as you git me out OF
here fore pawr 'r-'r Willie Godfrey
fms out, " he said Il reckon she d say
things at l new could forgit Hit all
commence with that thar ring Of John
Corny's You see, done asst Willie, and
l was a.wonderin which way l could
git a ring when that thar little box
dropped out thoo the hole i'll the mail
bag. l knowed what hit was, Gaze John
he lowed to me he was a-lookin for hit
l didn't low to keep hit, and l on y
opened the box to see what for kind OF
ring hit was. But that thar very eveniD
| slipped hit on Willie's finger, thess in
fun, an she lowed l done meant hit tc
be her
The sweat stood thickly ON his fore.
head, and he tried to get his manacled
hands around to his pocket for hand.
kerchief. Jaffray helped him and said
well, what then?"
"Then | didn't have sense enough
tell her the straight of hit. an after tina
the fence seem sort of broke down, anC
and thcy's been other things come Out
thoo that hole-money mostly"
"How much?" asked the inspector.
Bout 500, countin hit all, reckon
You uns'll find hit under the chimley
stone i'll the room up at Ma'am Wilke
sons, whar been sleepin.
II see. You were afraid to spend it
suppose. "
LATE hung his head II new thor
much about bein afraid. Twas savin hi
ag'inst the time when Willie'd let OF
like she was ready"
"OhW Inspector Jaffray went into 1
brown study, coming out of it presently
TO say to Cantrell: You can go now
Bud, if you want to. can take care o
him all right. l only wanted you Il
hear what he had to say for himself. "
Cantrell went back to the store, wher,
l he found little Joe Anderson trying Il
climb into his brothers. saddle. The DO.
had been crying, and his face wa
l streaked with dirt and tears.
mighty tough, amt it, Joey?" salt
3 Cantrell, lifting the boy to the horse
{ back. "What all was you 'lowin to d.
$ with the hawss?"
81 thess gwine take him home, ;" SAT-
I the small one, gathering up the rein
i, and wTiggling his bare feet into tn
n stirrup feathers But Cantrell notice
that instead Of turning off up the Ian
= to Ma'am Wilkeson's the child KEEP
n the road toward the Gap, urging tn
horse into a gallop as soon as he wa
s over the rocky hillside beyond Layne'i
Inspector Jatfray's guard duties dul
g ing the remainder of the afternoon wei
v Of kind merely nominal Layne Wa
8 away, and the inspector and his prisont
r had the front porch to themselves ia
1 fray said little, but he encouraged Al
It derson to talk, fitting his chair againI
the side of the house and shroudin
q himself in clouds of smoke while La
1t told of his life ON Long mVntain wit
t. his old father; of his counting of Will
Godfrey; Of the young girls loyalt,
it and of her fathers contempt for the sc
l. of a mountaineer 1.-THE valley foil
ut don't marry with we uns, mr. we III
with them, though reckon they ain
ut no law 'gainst hit, he said in explain
ie ton, and Jaffray agreed with him.
re When Layne came home, a few wor
explained the situation, and the farmer
f. hospitality was broad enough to GOV
ne not only his friends friend, but IN tn
I'd case his friends prisoner. The inspect
n. unmanacled LATE when they went in
Id supper, but he put the handouts
Ill again afterward, and when the ear