The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-03-28


o. the stock"
"Is that SOP was the brusque de-
mand of the money lender as he
turned to me.
"Yes, sir" answered.
"The boy lies" he snapped, ana
turning to my uncle added: "Yer mad
cause I'm tryin' to make We pay yer
honest debts-ain't We nowT
Uncle Peabody, keeping his temper,
shook his head and calmly said: "No,
I amt anything ag'in' you or Amos,
but It's got to be so that man can
travel the roads o. this town without
gettin' his head blOwed off,"
Mr.. Dunkelberg turned to me ana
asked:
"Are you sure that the stock Of the
gun you saw was brOken?.
"Yes, strand I'm almost sure II
was Amos that ran away with it."
"Why?"
II picked up a stone and threw IL.
at him and 1t grazed the left side OF
his face, and the other night 1 saw
the scar 1t made"
My aunt and uncle and Mr.. Dunkel-
berg moved with establishment as I
spoke of the scar. Mr.. Grimshaw,
with keen eyes fixed upon me, gave a
little grunt of incredulity.
"Huh !-Liar!" he muttered.
81 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, 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. 81 wouldn't be too sure about
'em If l were you. It's so easy to be.
mistaken. You couldn't be sure I'm the
dusk that the stone really hit him..
could your"
l answered: "Yes, sir-I saw the.
stone hit and ! saw him put his hand,
on the place while he was running.
l 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 We 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, 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 huh
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 MS
If We want to an I'm as scared o. We
as a mouse in cats paw, but this
boy has got to tell the truth right out
plain. / couldn't muzzle him IL L
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
o. his cane.
Nobody knows anything o. the kind.
Baynes," said Mr.. Dunkelberg. "Of
course Amos never thought o. killing
He's harmless kind of a
boy. l know him well and so do YOU
Under the circumstances Mr.. Grim
shaw is afraid that Bart's story viii
make it difficult for Amos to prove.
MS innocence"
Uncle Peabody shook his head WITH
/ look Of firmness.
Again Grimshaw laughed between
his teeth as he looked at my uncle
IN his view every man had his price.
81 see that I'm the mouse an you're
he cat" he resumed, as that curious
augh ratified in his throat Look a
lere, Baynes, I'll tell We what I'll do
III cancel the hull mortgage"
Again Uncle Peabody rose from his