The diamond drill., 1919-02-22

The boy lfes." he snapped, ana
turning to my uncle added: "Yer mad
cause I'm tryin' TO make ye pay yer
honest debts-ain't ye nowr
Uncle Peabody. keeping his temper.
shook his head and calmly said: 'No.
I ain't anything ag'in' you or Amos.
but It's got 10 be so that a man can
travel the roads o. this town without
gettin' his head blowed or"
Mr.. Dunkelberg turned to me and
asked:
"Are you sure that the stock of the
gun you saw was brokenf"
"Yes, strand I'm almost sure II
was Amos that ran away with It."
"Why3"
"I picked up a stone and threw IL
at him and II grazed the left side OF
his face. and the other night / saw
the scar II made"
My aunt and uncle and Mr.. Dunkel-
berg moved with astonishment as I
spoke OF the scar. Mr.. Grimshaw,
with keen eyes fixed upon me, gave
little grunt Of incredulity.
"Huh l-Liarl" he muttered.
II am not liar" declared with In
dignation, whereupon my aunt angrily
stirred the fire In the stove and Uncle
Peabody put his hand on my arm and
said:
"Hush. Bartl Keep your temper.
SON."
"If you tell these things you may
be the means of sending an innocent
boy 10 his DEATH" Mr.. Dunkelberg said
TO me. IL wouldn't be too sure about
'em II were you. It's so easy to be
mistaken. You couldn't be sure In the
dusk that the stone really hit him,
could your
/ answered: "Yes, sir-I saw the
stone hit and / saw him put his hand
on the place while he was running.
/ guess 1t hurt him some"
Look a here. Baynes,' Mr.. Grim
shaw began In that familiar scolding
tone OF his, II 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 ye five
years interest"
Aunt Deel gave gasp and quickly
covered her mouth with her hand.
Uncle Peabody changed color as he
rose from his chair with strange look
on his face. He swung his big right
hand In the air as he said:
by the eternal jumpin'--"
He stopped, pulled down the left
sleeve OF his flannel shirt and walked
20 the water pail and drank out of
the dipper.
"Say Mr.. Grimshaw, I'm awful sorry
for ye," said my uncle as he returned
to his chair. but I've always learnt
this boy to tell the truth an the hull
truth. / know the danger I'm in.
We're gettin' old It'll be hard TO
start over agln an you can ruin us
II ye want TO an I'm as scared o. We
as a mouse in cats paw, bnt this
boy has got To tell the truth right out
plain. | couldn't muzzle him IL ]
tried-he's too much of a man. II
you're scared o. the truth you mus
know that Amos Is guilty"
Mr.. GrimShaw shook his head with
anger and beat the floor with the end
oe his cane.
Nobody knows anything o. the kind,
Baynes," said Mr.. Dunkelberg. "Of
course Amos never thought o. killing
anybody. He's n harmless kind of a
boy. l know him well and so do you.
Under the circumstances Mr.. Grim
shaw is afraid that Barts story viii
make it difficult for Amos TO prove
his innocence"
Uncle Peabody shook his head With
a look of frmness.
Again Grimshaw laughed between
his teeth as he looked M my uncle.
In his view every man had his price.
81 see that I'm the mouse an you're
the eat" he resumed. as that curious
laugh ratified In his throat. Look a.
here, Baynes. I'll tell We what I'll do
I'll cancel the huh mortgage"
Again Uncle Peabody rose from hie
chair with n look In his face which
have never forgotten. How his voice
rang out
'No sirr' he shouted so loudly that
we all jumped to our feet and Aunt
Dee covered her face with her apron
and began TO cry. II was like the ex-
ploslon OF blast Then the frag-
ments began falling with loud crash
"NO, SIR YE CAN'T BUY THE
NAIL ON MY LITTLE FINGER OR