wn upon the place of
Crymble's sepulture. "They was hatchin' a plot and I busted it, and
now this is what they've done for revenge. And I'll leave it to Mis'
Crymble herself, who stands there and who saw it all."

Mrs. Crymble was in a state of mind to take the cue promptly, and
affirmed the charge with an inspirational wealth of detail and a
ferocity of shrill accusation that took effect on the crowd in spite
of the lack of logic. In moments of excitement crowds are not
discriminating. The Cap'n and Hiram gazed with some uneasiness on
the lowering faces.

"They beat his brains out, gents," she screamed--"beat the brains
out of the husband that had just come home to me after roamin' the
wide world over. Hang 'em, I say! And I'll soap the clothes-line if
you'll do it!"

"Ain't she a hell-cat, though!" muttered Hiram.

"When I think of what I was tryin' to make that poor critter do,"
said Cap'n' Sproul, absent-mindedly kicking a loosened clod into the
hole, "I'm ashamed of myself. I reckon he's better off down there
than up here. I don't wish him back."

"If accused wish to say anything in their own defence it will be
heard," declaimed Squire Alcander, advancing from the gathering
throng. "Otherwise, Constable Nute will--"

"Constable Nute will keep his distance from me," roared Cap'n Sproul,
"or he'll get his everlastin' come-uppance. I can stand a certain
amount of dum foolishness, and I serve notice that I've had full
amount served out. Now you loafers standin' round gawpin, you grab
anything that will scoop dirt and get to work diggin' here."

"I don't propose to have no bill of expense run up on me," announced
Mrs. Crymble, "I've paid out for him all I'm goin' to, and I got done
long ago."

"Bereaved and lovin' widder heard, neighbors and friends," said the
Cap'n, significantly. "Now go ahead, people, and believe what she
says about us, if you want to! Get to work here."

"You sha'n't stir a shovelful of that dirt," declared Mrs. Crymble.
"You'll claim day's wages, every one of you."

"Wages is cheaper in Chiny," said the Cap'n satirically. "You can
cable round and have him dug out from that side if you want to. But
I'm tellin' you right here and now that he's goin' to be dug out from
one side or the other."

"He's dead and he's buried, ain't he?" demanded Reeves, rallying to
the support of the widow. "What more is there to do?"

"Go down to the graveyard and get that stone of his and set it here,"
r