d of trying to crush that old indestructible worm."

Colonel Hand was a surly looking man beyond middle age with large eyes
that showed signs of dissipation. He had a small dark tuft beneath his
lower lip and thin, black, untidy hair.

"What do ye think has happened?" he asked as he looked down upon us with
a majestic movement of his hand.

He stood with a stern face, like an orator, and seemed to enjoy our
suspense.

"What do you think has happened?" he repeated.

"God knows! It may be that Bill Harriman has swapped horses again or
that somebody has been talked to death by old Granny Barnes--which is
it?" asked the schoolmaster.

"It is neither, sir," Colonel Hand answered sternly. "The son o' that
old Buck-tail, Ben Grimshaw, has been arrested and brought to jail for
murder."

"For murder?" asked Mr. and Mrs. Hacket in one breath.

"For bloody murder, sir," the Colonel went on. "It was the shooting of
that man in the town o' Ballybeen a few weeks ago. Things have come to a
pretty pass in this country, I should say. Talk about law and order, we
don't know what it means here and why should we? The party in power is
avowedly opposed to it--yes, sir. It has fattened upon bribery and
corruption. Do you think that the son o' Ben Grimshaw will receive his
punishment even if he is proved guilty? Not at all. He will be
protected--you mark my words."

He bowed and left us. When the door had closed behind him Mr. Hacket
said:

"Another victim horned by the Snapdragon! If a man were to be slain by a
bear back in the woods Colonel Hand would look for guilt in the
Democratic party. He will have a busy day and people will receive him as
the ghost of Creusa received the embraces of AEneas--unheeding. Michael
Henry, whatever the truth may be regarding the poor boy in jail, we are
in no way responsible. Away with sadness! What is that?"

Mr. Hacket inclined his ear and then added: "Michael Henry says that he
may be innocent and that we had better go and see if we can help him.
Now I hadn't thought o' that. Had you, Mary?"

"No," the girl answered.

"We mustn't be letting Mike get ahead of us always," said her father.

The news brought by the Colonel had shocked me and my thoughts had been
very busy since his announcement. I had thought of the book which I had
seen Amos reading in the haymow. Had its contents sunk into his
bones?--for I couldn't help thinking of all that Mr. Hacket had just
said about books and thought