s later.

Minna went over the old ground that Homer could never get a fair trial;
then she brightened up all at once and says:

"Don't you pay it. Don't you do it; because you won't have to if you do
what I say."

Homer gets excited and says:

"Yes, yes; go on!"

And Minna goes on.

"When people can't get fair trials in a place," she says, "they always
take change of venues."

"Change of venues?" says Homer, kind of uneasy, it seemed.

"Certainly," says Minna: "they take change of venues. I've worked in
Judge Ballard's office long enough to know that much. Why didn't I think
of it before? It's your one chance to escape this creature's snare."

"Change of venues?" says Homer again, kind of aghast.

"It's your only way out," says Minna; "and I'll do everything I can--"

"You will?" says Homer.

"Why, of course!" says Minna. "Any thing--"

"All right, then," says Homer. "You get your things on, and I'll saddle
your horse and bring him round."

"What for?" demands Minna.

"I'm a desperate man!" says Homer. "You say it's the only way out, and
you know the law; so come along to Kulanche with me." And he beat if off
to the barn.

Well, Minna had said she'd do anything she could, thinking she'd
write herself to Judge Ballard and find out all the details; but if
Homer wanted her to go to Kulanche with him and try to start the thing
there--why, all right. She was ready when Homer come with her horse and
off they rode on the twelve-mile trip.

I gather that not much was said on the way by Homer who only muttered
like a fever patient from time to time, with Minna saying once in a while
how glad she was she had thought up this one sure way out of his trouble.

At Kulanche they rode up in front of Old Man Geiger's office, who is
justice of the peace.

"Wait here a minute," says Homer, and went inside. Pretty soon he come
out and got her. "Come on, now," he says, "I got it all fixed."

And Minna goes in, thinking mebbe she's got to swear to an affidavit or
something that Homer couldn't get a fair trial among people knowing he
regarded little ones as so many cockroaches or something to step on.

She got some shock when Homer took her inside and held her tight by the
wrist while Old Man Geiger married 'em. That's about the way it was. She
says she was so weak she could hardly stand up, and she hadn't hardly any
voice at all left. But she kept on saying "Why, Homer!" and "Oh, Homer!"
and "No, no, Homer!" as soo