ainey asked him not to come to his house any more, it was his
business to stay away. And that for himself he meant to stop lawlessness
in the town. He intended to do his duty so fully that people would be
afraid to break the law and take life. And then he said he had done his
duty, and now the jury had to do theirs, and he left the case with them.

And then the judge read a lot of instructions to the jury and Sheriff
Rutledge took 'em and locked 'em up and we sat and waited. They was out
all that day and all that night and all the next day. And we waited.
And finally toward evening they came in and told the judge they couldn't
agree. It seems, so pa said, two of the jurors was for hangin' and five
for the penitentiary, and five for acquittal. So they was discharged.
Temple Scott was held to the next term of court for another trial, and
court adjourned.

CHAPTER XXIV

So court bein' over, the town was dull again and all deserted.
Watermelon rinds and newspapers was all over the court house yard.
Hardly any farmers was in town. The stores seemed empty. And Mitch was
quieter than I ever saw him. He didn't look well. He was reading
Shakespeare; and I saw him go by with Charley King and George Heigold. I
began to feel that I was losin' him.

And one day my pa said, "How would you like to go to St. Louis on the
boat? Your ma and Myrtle are goin' over to visit Aunt Fannie, and Delia
is goin' to take a vacation, and I think I'll take you to St. Louis. I
need a rest too. Mitch and his pa are going along. Colonel Lambkin has
made up a party and John Armstrong will be along. It's the _City of
Peoria_, the same boat you boys tried to run away on. So we're goin'.
Come down town this afternoon and I'll get you a new suit and some shoes
and a hat. Get Mitch too, and I'll fit him out for the trip."

So I got Mitch and he was almost beside himself, he was that happy. And
we both got suits and shoes and hats. And the next morning took the
passenger train for Havaner. When we got to Oakford, John Armstrong got
in, and my pa was tickled to death to see him. John says: "They didn't
convict that feller?" Pa says, "No." "Wal," says John, "are you goin' to
try him again?" My pa says, "I don't know. It costs the county, and the
board may lay down on me. But I'll prosecute him if they stand for the
appropriation."

We were all sittin' together, for we turned the seats that a way. Mr.
Miller and Mitch facin' us, my pa and me in one