Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1919-01-24


dered why he should be going with me
TO talk with Mr.. Grimshaw and my
uncle. or course l suspected that 1t
Ind 10 do with Amos, but how knew
not. He hummed in the rough going
and thouGhtfully fiicked the bushes
with HIS whip. never knew more
persistent hummer
Aunt Deel shook hands with Mr..
Dunkelberg and then came to- me ana
said:
"Wal, Bart Baynesl / 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 l enjoyed mOst-big, brown bis
cults and q great comb Of honey sur
rounded with its nectar and pitcher
of milk and a plate of cheese and some
jerked meat and an apple pie.
"Set right down an eat-l Just
want to see We eat-ayes | do"
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 oren door.
"Baynes, / want to have talk with
you and the boy. Tell me what you
know about that murder"
"Wal, / had some business over to
Plattsburg," my uncle began. "While
] was there l thought I'd go and see
Amos. so / 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
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 know" snapped Mr.
Grimshaw.
"This boy see it plain. 1t was
gun with piece O wood broke Out
O. the stock"
rs that so?" was the brusQue de
mand of the money lender as he
turned to me.
"YeS, sir" answered.
"The boy lies" he snapped, ant
turning to my uncle added: Yer mac
cause I'm tryn' to make We pay yel
honest debts-aint We nOwT
Uncle Peabody, keeping his temper
shook his head and calmly said: mo
amt anything ae'in' you or Amos
hui it's got to be 50 that man cal
travel the roads O. this town withou
gettn' his head bowed off.
Mr.. Dunkelberg turned to me ant
asked:
"Are you sure that the stock of tn
gun you saw was brOkenW
eyes, strand I'm almost sure
was Amos that ran away with it,"
"Why?"
~ picked up a stone and threw
l. at him and it graZed the left side o
his face, and the other night say
the scar it made"
My aunt and uncle and Mr.. Dunke
i" berg moved with establishment as
spoke of the scar. Mr.. Grimshav
with keen eyes fixed upon me, gave
n little grunt of incredulity.
Huh !-Liar!" he muttered
e 81 am not liar" declared with IL
d dignation, whereupcn my aunt angril
stirred the fire in the stove and Uncl
r Peabody put his hand on my arm an
said:
g Hush, Bart! Keep your tempe
son."
Il IF you tell these things you ma
be the means of sending an innOceT
o., boy to his death" Mr. Dunkelberg sal
to me. II wouldn't be too sure abol
'em if | were you. It's so easy to
- mistaken. You couldn't be sure in Il
dusk that the stone really hit hir
=. could yOu?"
~ answered: "YeS, sir-l saw II
q stone hit and ! saw him put his har
on the place while he was runnin
] guess it hurt him some"
~ Look a here. Baynes," Mr.. Grir
shaw began in that familiar scOldr
20 tone of his, 81 know what you wal
an we might jest as well git rig
4 down to business first as last. "
4 keep this hoy still an I'll give We fl
- years interest"
70 Aunt Deel gave a gasp and quick
L covered her mouth with her han
m Uncle Peabody changed color as
rose from his chair with strange LOO
~ on his face He swung his big rig
IN hand in the air as he said:
81 by the eternal jumpin'-"
20 He stopped pulled down the lie
nc sleeve of his flannel shirt and walk
q to the water pail and drank out
the dipper.
~ Say. Mr.. Grimshaw, I'm awful sOr
mr. for We" said my uncle as he return
20 bic chair Uhut Two ALWAYS lpnr