Cleveland County herald., 1919-03-20
CHAPTER VlII-continued.
>

"There comes Colonel Hand" said Mrs. Racket as she looked out of the window. "The poor lonely Whigl He has nothing to do these days but sit around the tavern"
 Colonel Hand was a surly-looking man beyond middle age, with large eyes that showed signs of dissipation. Re had small, dark tuft beneath his lower lip and thin, black, untidy hair
 What do ye think has happened?" he asked as he looked down upon us with majestic movement of his hand. ''The son O that old Bucktail, Ben Grimshaw, has been arrested and brought to jail for murder"
 For murder?" asked Mir. and Mrs. Racket in one breath.
 For bloody murder, sir" the colonel went on. Tt was the shooting of that man in the town O Ballybeen a few weeks ago. Things have come to a pretty pass in this country, I should say. Talk about law and order; we don't know what it means here and why should we? The party in power is avowedly opposed to it-yes, sir. It has fattened upon bribery and corrup- tion. Do you think that the son O Ben Grimshaw will receive punish ment even if he is proved guilty? Not at all. He will be protected-you mark my words"
 He bowed and left us. When the door had closed behind him Mir. Racket said:
 Another victim horned by the Snapdragon! If man were to be slain by a bear back in the woods Colonel Hand would look for guilt in the opposition party. Michael Henry, whatever the truth may be regarding the poor boy in jail. we are in no way responsible. Away with sadness What is that?"
 MT. Racket inclined his ear and then added: Michael Henry says that he may be innocent and that we had bet ter go and see if we can help him. Now l hadn't thought O that. Had you, Mary?"
 'No," the girl answered.
 "We must be letting Mike go ahead of us always" said her father. You saw the crime, believe" turning to me.
 I told them all I knew of it.
 Upon my word, like you, my brave lad" said the schoolmaster. 'I heard of all this and decided that you would be help to Michael Henry and 0 nroditahIn lot TIC go and pay our compliments to the senator"
 The schoolmaster and I went over to MT. Wright's house-a white, frame building which had often been pointed out to me.
 Mrs. Wright, fine-looking lady who met usgat the door, said that the sen ator had gone over to the mill with his wheelbarrow.
 "We've plenty of time and we'll wait for him." said the schoolmaster.
 q see him!" said little John as he and Ruth ran to the gate and down the rough plank walk to meet him.
 We saw him coming little way down the street in his shirt-sleeves with his barrow in front of him. He stopped and lifted little John in his arms, and after moment put him down and embraced Ruth.
 "Well, see ye still love the tender embrace O the wheelbarrow," said MT. Racket as we approached the senator.
 "My embrace is the tenderer of the two," the latter laughed with look at his hands.
 He recognized me and seized my two hands and shook them as he said:
 "Upon my word, here is my friend Bart. was not looking for you here"
 He put his hand on my head, now higher than his shoulder, and said: 1T was not looking for you here"
 He asked about my aunt and uncle and expressed joy at learning that 1 was now under MT. Racket.
 q shall be here for number of weeks" he said, land I shall want to