rty
voice, ringing with opposition, struck upon his delighted ear. He
remembered Hiram's dislike for the cantankerous Keith. Here perhaps
was a defender.

"Oh, come, Mr. Keith! Oh, come now!" he heard Hopkins exclaim.
"What's the use of raising a rumpus? It wasn't nothing but bird
shot. Folks don't go murdering folks with bird shot."

"Don't care if 't was bird shot!" came Abijah's snapping tones.
"Don't care if 't was pin-heads; principle's the same."

"It is, it is!" admitted Solomon, in his soul.

"Well," said Hiram, with a common sense in which Mr. Peaslee took
comfort, "the practical effect is mighty different. Gentlemen," he
added to the jurors, "I can't see that we've got any call to go any
further with this. Peaslee was just shooting at a cat. I don't see
the sense of taking up the time of the court and makin' expense for
any such foolishness. I say we'd better dismiss young Edwards's
case, and Peaslee's along with it. It's such fool doings, I think
we'd better, if only to keep folks from laughing at the grand jury."

Solomon's heart was in his mouth. Would the others take this
view--or Keith's?

"Oily talk, dretful oily talk!" came Abijah's fierce pipe. "Don't
take any stock in 't. Shot him, didn't he? Grand juror--what
difference does that make? If they ain't fit, weed 'em out--weed 'em
out!"

"Fit?" said Hiram. "It took some spunk to get up there and tell just
what a fool he'd been, didn't--"

"Humph!" Abijah interrupted, with a snort. "Had to, didn't he?
Farnsworth asked him where he was, didn't he? Had to squirm out
somehow, didn't he? Got about as much spine as a taller candle with
the wick drawed out, accordin' to his own showin'. Better weed him
out, better weed him out! Humph!"

Poor Mr. Peaslee sank still lower in his chair; his head fell still
lower on his chest. They were taking away from him even the credit
of voluntary confession. Why had Farnsworth asked that question? In
casting doubt upon his one brave deed fate seemed to him to have
done its worst.

"He'd got up before I put the question," said Farnsworth.

He wished to be just. But he was indignant with Peaslee. After his
first laughter, his thoughts had dwelt upon the trouble that Solomon
had brought upon the innocent Jim, "just to save his own hide, the
old--skee-zicks!" he exclaimed to himself.

After all, what did he know about Peaslee? If the man had merely
shot at a cat, why under the sun should he not have said so at
o