Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-01-29
gratifed nj his knowledge of 1t.
sWhat did he have to saw,

toward the deep woods and the high
hills.
/ was eager to get home but Won.
dered why he should be going with me
to talk with Mr.. Grimshaw and my
uncle. OF course ! suspected that II
had to do with Amos, but how | knew
not. He hummed in the rough going
and thoughtfuIiy fiicked the bushes
with his whip T never knew more
persistent hummer
Aunt Deel shook hands with Mr..
Dunkelberg and then came to me and
said:
wal, Bart Baynes! / never was so
glad to see anybody in all the days O.
my life-ayes! We been lookin' up
the road for an hour eyes! You
come right into the house this min
ute-both O. YOU
: The table was spread with the
things / enjoyed most-big, brown bis
cults and great comb Of honey sur
rounded with its nectar and pitcher
! of milk and plate of cheese and some
jerked meat and an apple pie.
"Set right down an eat-I just
want to see We eat-ayes I dol"
Mr.. Grimshaw came soon after we
had finished our luncheon. He hitched
his horse at the post and came in.
"Good day." he said. once and for
all, as he came in at the open door.
''Baynes, I want to have a talk with
You and the boy. Tell me what you
| know about that murder"
| oval, L had some business over to
Plattsburg," my uncle began. "While
was there l thought I'd go and see
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 rifle with
him, so they said. There was piece
O. wood broke out O. the stock O. the
| rife. That was the kind O. gun that
was used in the murder"
1t surprised me that my uncle knew
all this. He had said nothing to me
Of his journey or its result.
"How do you known" snapped Mr..
Grimshaw. .-.
''This boy see it plain. 1t was a
gun with piece o. wood broke out
o. the stock"
us that sol" was the brusque de-
mand Of the money lender as he
turned to me.
Eyes, sir" answered.
"The boy lies" he snapped, and
turning to my uncle added: eyer mad
cause I'm tryin' to make We pay yer
honest debts-ain't ye now"
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 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"
Eyes, sir-and I'm almost sure 1t
was Amos that ran away with it."
"WhyT
II picked up a stone and threw 1t
at him and 1t grazed the left side Of
his face and the other night 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 a
little grunt of incredulity.
Huh !-Liar!" he muttered.
II am not liar" I 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" Mr.. Dunkelberg said
to me. II 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 I saw him put his hand
on the place while he was running.
I guess it 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 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 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 cats paw, but this
boy has got to tell the truth right out
plain. I couldn't muzzle him if
tried-he's too much of a man. II
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