Cleveland County herald., 1919-03-27

Amos. So l drove out to Beekman'S farm. They told me that Amos had left there after workin' four days. They gave him fourteen shillins an he was goin' to take the stage in the mornin' He left some time in the night an took Beekman's rife with him, so they said. There was piece O wood broke out O the stock O the rifle. That was the kind O gun that was used in the murder"
 It 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 MT. Grimshaw.
 "This boy see it plain. It was a gun with a piece O wood broke out O the stock"
 "Is that so?" was the brusque de- 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 I'm tryin' to make ye pay yer honest debts-ain't ye nowp
 Uncle Peabody, keeping his temper, shook his head and calmly said: "No ain't 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 blowed off,"
 MT. Dunkelberg turned to me and asked:
 Are you sure that the stock of the gun you saw was broken?"
 "Yes, sir-and I'm almost sure it was Amos that ran away with it."
 "Why?"
 q picked up a stone and threw 1t at him and it grazed the left side of his face, and the other night I saw the scar it made."
 My aunt and uncle and Mir. Dunkel- berg moved with astonishment as I spoke of the scar. MT. Grimshaw, with keen eyes fixed upon me, gave little grunt of incredulity.
 Huh Liar! '" he muttered.
 ''I 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:
 Flush, Bartl Keep your temper, son."
 "If you tell these things you may be the means of sending an innocent boy to his death," Mir. Dunkelberg said to me. 'I wouldn't be 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 you?"
 answered.: "Yes, sir-I saw the stone hit and saw him put his hand on the place while he was running l guess it hurt him some." { Look a here, Baynes," MT. Grim shaw began in that familiar scolding tone of his, q 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 a 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'--" !, He stopped, pulled down the left sleeve of his flannel shirt and walked to the water pail and drank out of . the dipper.
 Say, MT. Grimshaw, Pm 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 ag'in an you can ruin us If ye want to an I'm as scared O ye as mouse in cats paw, but this , boy has got to tell the truth right out plain. l couldn't muzzle him if l : tried-he's too much of a man. If you're scared O the truth you mus know that Amos is guilty.' Mir. Grimshaw shook his head with . anger and beat the floor with the end Of his cane.
 Nobody knows anything O the kind, Baynes," said MT. Dunkelberg. "Of course Amos never thought O killing , anybody. He's harmless kind of a , boy. I know him well and so do you. Under the circumstances Mir. Grim shaw is afraid that Bart's story will make it difficult for Amos to prove his innocence"
 , Uncle Peabody shook his head witb look of firmQeSs.