he details
created consternation in his mind. The tracks of the wagon led to the
Carew place! Squire Inchly was prompt with a rebuke.

"Why, you've woke up wi' a joke in your mouth, Mr. Gaither. Now that
you've spit it out, less start fresh. A spiteful joke before breakfus'
'll make your flesh crawl arter supper, Mr. Gaither."

Squire Inchly spoke seriously, as became a magistrate. Bradley
Gaither's thin lips grew thinner as he smiled.

"I'm as serious as the thieves that stole my cotton, Squire Inchly,"
said Bradley Gaither.

"Two whole bales of cotton in these days is a heavy loss," said the
Squire, reflectively. "I hope you'll ketch the inconsiderate parties to
the larceny."

"If you will go with me, Squire, we'll call by for Brother Gossett and
Colonel Hightower, and if I'm not mistaken we'll find the cotton not
far from here."

"Well, sir," said the Squire, indignantly, "you won't find it on the
Carew place. I'll go wi' you and welcome. We don't need no search
warrant."

The long and the short of it was that the cotton was found concealed in
Jack Carew's rickety barn under a pile of fodder. Of those who joined
Bradley Gaither in the search, not one believed that the cottor would
be found on the Carew place; and some of them had even gone so far as
to suggest to Mr. Gaither that his suspicions had been fathered by his
prejudices; but that injured individual merely smiled his cold little
smile, and declared that there could be no harm in following the wagon
tracks. This was reasonable enough; and the result was that not only
was the cotton found, but the wagon standing under the shelter, and two
mules at the trough in the lot showed signs of having been used.

These things so shocked those who had gone with Bradley Gaither that
they had little to say. They stood confounded. They could not
successfully dispute the evidence of their eyes.

They were simple-minded men, and therefore sympathetic. Each one felt
ashamed. They did not look into each other's eyes and give utterance to
expressions of astonishment. They said nothing; but each one, with the
exception of Bradley Gaither, fell into a state of mental confusion
akin to awe.

When Bradley Gaither, with cm. air of triumph, asked them if they were
satisfied, they said nothing, but turned and walked away one after the
other.

They turned and walked away, and went to their homes; and somehow after
that, though the sun shone as brightly and the birds flutt