New Year's night after he left here. That's what I means--"

"Don't speak so loud, Abel, we're not deaf," interrupted Carey, as Mary
started up white-faced. "What do you want to always shout for?"

"I speak loud because I want people to hear me!" roared Uncle Abel,
turning on him.

"Go on, Uncle Abel," said Mary, "tell me what you mean."

"I mean," said Uncle Abel, lowering his voice a little, "that I seen
Harry Dale and Bertha Buckolt at Buckolts' Gate that night--I seen it
all--"

"At _Buckolts_' Gate!" cried Mary.

"_Yes_! at Buckolts' Gate! Ain't I speakin' loud enough?"

"And where were you?"

"Never mind wheers I was. I was comin' home along the ridges, and I seen
them. I seen them say good-bye; I seen them hug an' kiss--"

"Uncle Abel!" exclaimed Aunt Emma.

"It's no use Uncle Abelin' me. What I sez I sez. I ain't a-goin' to have
a niece of mine bungfoodled--"

"Uncle Abel," cried Mary, staring at him wild-eyed, "do be careful what
you say. You must have made a mistake. Are you sure it was Bertha and
Harry?"

"Am I sure my head's on me neck?" roared Uncle Abel. "Would I see 'em if
I didn't see 'em? I tell you--"

"Now wait a moment, Uncle Abel," interrupted Mary, with dangerous
calmness. "Listen to me. Harry Dale and I are engaged to be married,
and--"

"Have you got the writings!" shouted Uncle Abel.

"The what?" said Mary.

"The writings."

"No, of course not."

"Then that's where you are," said Uncle Abel, triumphantly. "If you had
the writings you could sue him for breach of contract."

Uncle Abel, who couldn't read, had no faith whatever in verbal
agreements (he wouldn't sign one, he said), all others he referred to as
"writings."

"Now, listen to me, Uncle Abel," said Mary, trembling now. "Are you sure
you saw Harry Dale and Bertha Buckolt at Buckolts' Gate after he left
here that night?"

"Yes. An' what's more, I seen young Tommy there ridin' on his pony along
by the Spur a little while after, an' he muster seen them too, if he's
got a tongue."

Mary turned quickly to her brother.

"Well, all I can say," said Tommy, quietened now, "is that I seen _her_
at Buckolts' Gate that night. I was comin' home from Two-Mile Flat, and
I met Jim with his packhorse about a mile the other side of Buckolts',
and while we was talkin' Harry Dale caught up, so I jist said 'So-long'
an' left 'em. And when I got to Buckolt's Gate I seen Bertha Buckolt.
She was standin' under a tree, and she loo