here a week, and hold about the most
responsible position in the town, and society hasn't taken me up yet,
but I reckon it will after a while. I reckon you could get in all right.
They have heard all about your fight--know that you are game, and
nothing counts more than that, for they have an idea that a game fellow
is always a gentleman."

Just then a boy came up and told him that there was a call. "I'll be
there after a while," the operator replied. "Go on back. I've been
pitching horse-shoes with some fellows," he continued, speaking to me,
"and ain't quite through yet. I'll have to teach him so that he will be
able to tell them that I'm busy when I'm not there. I've found out that
what we want in this life is leisure. People are getting too swift.
There's no need of half the telegraphing that's done. Why don't they
write and save trouble and expense? There goes a nice piece of calico. I
must get acquainted with it, too, I tell you. Well, believe I'll stroll
on back. Come in while you're here. The trial won't take up much of your
time. It's all pretty much cut and dried, anyway."

At 10 o'clock the Aimes brothers were brought before the bar. The jury
was already selected and the trial was at once taken up. I was put upon
the stand and instructed to tell my story without any fear of reflecting
too much credit upon myself. I could see that they wanted a thrilling
recital and I gave it to them. And when Alf followed, he found them
eager for more. The prosecuting attorney made a speech, as red as the
fire that had burned the school-house; the lawyer appointed for the
defence made a few cool remarks, and the case was closed. We were
anxious to take the verdict home with us, and we had made preparations
to remain over night, but the jury came to an agreement without leaving
the box, so we had nothing to do but to return home. The Aimes brothers
were given a term of fifteen years each in the penitentiary.

The sun was down when we got upon the buck-board, and over the road we
drove, under the stars, our stars, for in sympathy they looked down upon
us. The moon was late, but we preferred the dark--it was sadder.

"I wonder how it's all going to end," said Alf. "If we could only rip
apart that black thing down the road and look into the future."

"And if you could rip it," I replied, "if you could and were about to do
so, I would grab your hand with a harder grip than I gave the gun when I
caught the hammers."

"Then y