Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-06-29
The Light IN
the CLEARING
Rv IRVING BACHELLER
Copyright 1917. The Bobbs-Merrln Co.

as ne sat down. HOW worn and
faded we're his clothes and hat
which was still on his head! The
lines on his rugged brow and
cheeks were deeper than ever.
Tell me what you know about
that murder" he demanded.
Wal, / had some business over
to Plattsburg." my uncle begar
while l was there ! thought ri
go and see Amos. So l drove ont
to Beekman's farm. They told me-
that Amos had left there after
workln' four days. They gave MIN
IA shillin's an he was goin' 70 take
the stage in the mornln' He left
some time in the night an took
Beckman's rife with him, so thev
SAID. There was a piece o wood
broke out o. the stock o. the rife.
That was the kind o. gun that was
used in the murder"
1t surprised me that my uncle
knew all this. He had said nothing
TO me Of his journey or It's result.
How do you know" snapped
Mr. Grimshaw.
This boy see il plain. Il was a
gun with a piece o wood broke on,
O the stock"
Us that SOP" was the brusque de-
mand of the money-lender as he
turned to me.
Yes, sir" I answered.
The boy lies, he snapped, and
turning to my uncle added "Yer
mad cause I'm tryin' to make We
pay yer honest debts-aint We
now?"
We were stunned by this quick at
tack Uncle Peabody rose sud-
denly and sat down again. Mr..
Grimshaw looked at him with a
strange smile and haunting devil
ish laugh came out of his open lips.
Uncle Peabody, keeping his temp
or, shook his head and calmly said:
mo l amt anything agin' you o.
Amos, but it's got 10 be so that a
man can travel the roads o. this
town without gettin' his head blow
ed off,
Mr. Dunkelberg jumped into the
breach then, saving:
Il told Mr.. Grimshaw that you
hadn't any grudge against him or
his boy and that / knew you'd do
what you could TO help in this mat
ter.
"Of course I'll help in any way I
can" my uncle answered. ~
couldn't harm him if / tried-not il
he's innocent. All he's got to do is
TO prove where he was tnat night"
Suppose he was lost In the
wOods?" Mr.. Dunkelberg asked
"The truth wouldn't narm him
any" my uncle insisted. Then.
tracks wouldn't fit his boots an
they'd have to-"
Mr.. Dunkelberg turned to me and
asked:
Are you sure that the stock OF
the gun you saw was broken?"
Yes. strand I'm almost sure {.
was Amos that ran away with it."
"Why?"
81 picked up a stone and threw it
at him and it grazed the left side
of his face, and the other night l
saw the scar 1t made"
My aunt and uncle and Mr. Dunk
elberg moved with establishment as
l spoke of the scar. Mr.. GrimshaW.
with keen eyes fixed upon me, gave
a little grunt of incredulity.
Huh !-Liar!" he muttered.
II am not a liar" I declared with
Indignation, whereupon my aunt
angrily stirred the fire in the stove
and Uncle Peabody put his hand
on my arm and said:
Hush, Bart! Keep your temper,
SON"
IF you tell these things you may
be the means of sending an limo
cent boy to his death" Mr.. Dunkel-
berg said to me. 81 wouldn't bs
too sure about 'em If I were you.
It's so easy TO be mistaken. You
couldn't be sure in the dusk that
the stone really hit him. could you2'-
l answered: Yes, sir-I saw the
stone hit and l saw him put his
hand on the place while he was run
ming. guess it hurt him some"
Look a. here, Baynes," Mr.
Grimshaw began In that familiar
scOlding tone of his. 81 know what
you want an we might Jest as well
git right down to business first as
last You keep this boy still an
I'll give We five years interest"
Continued VFCpday~h