d went to a corner and sat down with his head in his hands.

The sleepy young man opened a notebook and shook a stylographic pen so
that the ink might flow freely. The lawyer, briefly and with unlegal
agitation, administered an oath, to which Harkless responded feebly, and
then there was silence.

"Now, Mr. Harkless, if you please," said Barrett, insinuatingly; "if you
feel like telling us as much as you can about it?"

He answered in a low, rather indistinct voice, very deliberately,
pausing before almost every word. It was easy work for the sleepy
stenographer.

"I understand. I don't want to go off my head again before I finish.
Of course I know why you want this. If it were only for myself I should
tell you nothing, because, if I am to leave, I should like it better if
no one were punished. But that's a bad community over there; they are
everlastingly worrying our people; they have always been a bother to
us, and it's time it was stopped for good. I don't believe very much
in punishment, but you can't do a great deal of reforming with the
Cross-Roaders unless you catch them young--very young, before they're
weaned--they wean them on whiskey, I think. I realize you needn't have
sworn me for me to tell you this."

Homer and Smith had started at the mention of the Cross-Roads, but they
subdued their ejaculations, while Mr. Barrett looked as if he had known
it, of course. The room was still, save for the dim voice and the soft
transcribings of the stylographic pen.

"I left Judge Briscoe's, and went west on the pike to a big tree. It
rained, and I stepped under the tree for shelter. There was a man on the
other side of the fence. It was Bob Skillett. He was carrying his gown
and hood--I suppose it was that--on his arm. Then I saw two others a
little farther east, in the middle of the road; and I think they had
followed me from the Briscoes', or near there. They had their foolish
regalia on, as all the rest had,--there was plenty of lightning to see.
The two in the road were simply standing there in the rain, looking
at me through the eye-holes in their hoods. I knew there were
others--plenty--but I thought they were coming from behind me--the west.

"I wanted to get home--the court-house yard was good enough for me--so I
started east, toward town. I passed the two gentlemen; and one fell down
as I went by him, but the other fired a shot as a signal, and I got
his hood off his face for it--I stopped long enough--a