"I suppose I've been out quite a time, and I may say I've seen times,
too! I guess there ain't no one in the town fitter to say they seen
times than just me!"

The light and comfort of his own pleasant kitchen had quite restored Mr.
Shrimplin.

"I may say I seen times!" he repeated significantly. "There's something
doing in this here old town after all! I take back a heap of the hard
things I've said about it; a feller can scare up a little excitement if
he knows where to look for it. I ain't bragging none, but I guess you'll
hear my name mentioned--I guess you'll even see it in print in the
newspapers!" He warmed his cold hands over the stove. "Throw in a little
more coal, sonny; I'm half froze, but I guess that's the worst any one
can say of me!"

"You make much of it, whatever it is," said Mrs. Shrimplin.

"Maybe I do and maybe I don't," equivocated Mr. Shrimplin genially.

"Maybe you're not above telling a body what kept you out half the
night?" inquired his wife.

"If you done and seen what I've did and saw," replied Mr. Shrimplin
impressively, "you'd look for a little respect in your own home."

"I'd be a heap quicker telling about it," said Mrs. Shrimplin.

Mr. Shrimplin turned to Custer.

"I guess, you're thinking it was a burglar; but, sonny, it wasn't no
burglar--so you got another guess coming to you," he concluded
benevolently.

"I know!" cried Custer. "Some one's been killed!"

"Exactly!" said Mr. Shrimplin with increasing benevolence. "Some one has
been killed!"

"You done it!" cried Custer.

"I found the party," admitted Mr. Shrimplin with calm dignity.

"Oh!" But perhaps Custer's first emotion was on the whole one of
disappointment.

"How you talk!" said Mrs. Shrimplin.

"I reckon I might say more, most any one would," retorted Mr. Shrimplin
quietly. "It was old man McBride--someone's murdered him for his money;
I never seen the town so on end over anything before, but whoever wants
to be well posted's got to come to me for the particulars. I seen the
old man before Colonel Harbison seen him, I seen him before Andy Gilmore
seen him, I seen him before the coroner seen him, or the sheriff or
_any one_ seen him! I was on the spot ahead of 'em all. If any one wants
to know how he looked just after he was killed, they got to come to me
to find out. Colonel Harbison can't tell 'em, and Andy Gilmore can't
tell 'em; it's only me knows them particulars!"

The effect of this stirring declarat