The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-03-29


of his Journey or its result.
How do you know?' snapped Mr.
Grimshaw.
This hoy see it plain. 1t was a
gun with a piece o wood broke out
o the stock
mand OF the money lender as he
turned to me-
Yes. sir" ] answered.
.'The boy lies" he snapped. and
turning to my uncle added: Yer mad
cause Tn tryin' TO make We pay yer
honest debts-ain't We nOv?"
Uncle Peabody, keeping his temper,
shook his head and calmly said: mo,
| amt anything ag'in' you or Amos,
but it's got to be So that a man can
travel the roads o. this town without
gettin' his head bowed off"
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 it
was Amos that ran away with it."
"WhyT"
Il picked up a stone and threw it
at him and ii grazed the left side Of
his face. and the other night l saw
the scar it made"
My aunt and uncle and Mr.. Dunkel-
berg moved with establishment as
spoke of the scar. Mr.. Grimshaw,
with keen eyes fixed upon me, gave Il
little grunt of incredulity.
Huh LIAR he muttered.
II am not a liar declared with in
dlgnatiOn, 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 innocent
boy to his death Mr.. Dunkelberg said
to me. Il wouldn't be too sure about
'em if | 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"
l answered: Yes, sir-I saw the
stone hit and I saw him put his hand
on the place while he was running.
/ guess it hurt him some''
Look "a here, Baynes," Mr.. Grim
shaw began in that familiar scolding
tone of his, Il 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"
Aunt Deel gave gasp and quickly
covered her mouth with her hand.
Uncle Peabody changed color as he
rose from his chair with a strange look
on his face. He swung his big right
hand in the air as he said:
by the eternal jumpin'-"
lie stopped, pulled down the left
sleeve of his flannel shirt and walked
to 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. l know the danger I'm in.
We're gettin' old. It'll be hard to
start over ag'in an you can ruin us
If We want to an I'm as scared o. We
as a mouse in q cats paw, but this
boy has got TO tell the truth right out
plain. l couldn't muzzle him if
tried-he's too much of a man. If
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
Of his cane.
Nobody knows anything O. the kind,
Baynes," said Mr.. Dunkelberg. "Of
course Amos never thought o. killing
anybody. He's a harmless kind of a
boy. | know him well and so do you.
Under the circumstances Dir. Grim
shaw is afraid that Bart'S story will
make it difficult for Amos to prove
his innocence"
Uncle Peabody shook his head With
a look of frmuess.
Again Grimshaw laughed between
his teeth as he looked at my uncle.
IL his view every man had his price.
81 see that I'm the mouse an you're
the cat" 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 hull mortgage"
Again Uncle Peabody rose from his
chair with look In his face which I
have never forgotten. How his voice
'ang out
mo, sir" he shouted so loudly that
We all jumped to our feet and Aunt
Deel covered her face with her apron
md began to cry. 1t was like the ex-
)lOsion of blast. Then the frag-
nentS began falling with a loud crash:
mo, SIR YE CAN'T BUY THE |
NAIL ON MY LITTLE FINGER OR |
IFS WITH ALL YER MONEY
D-N your
Ii was like the shout of Israel from |
he top Of the mountains. Shep |
into the house with hair on
md and the chickens cackled and the |
I'D rooster clapped his wings and !
rowed with all the power of his lungs. |
very member of that little group |
TODD stock still and GREATNESS.
l trembled with fear l could not
ave defined. Mr.. Grimshaw shufled
ut of the door. his cane rapping the |