antly.

A spasm of savage conviction seized Mrs. McKinstry. But it was more
from her jealous fears of her husband's disloyalty than concern for her
daughter's transgression. Nevertheless, she said desperately, "It's a
lie. Where are your proofs?"

"Proofs?" returned Seth. "Who is it sneaks around the school-house to
have private talks with the school-master, and edges him on with Cressy
afore folks? Your husband. Who goes sneakin' off every arternoon with
that same cantin' hound of a school-master? Your daughter. Who's been
carryin' on together, and hidin' thick enough to be ridden out on a rail
together? Your daughter and the school-master. Proofs?--ask anybody. Ask
the children. Look yar--you, Johnny--come here."

He had suddenly directed his voice to a blackberry bush near the trail,
from which the curly head of Johnny Filgee had just appeared. That
home-returning infant painfully disengaged himself, his slate, his
books, and his small dinner-pail half filled with fruit as immature as
himself, and came towards them sideways.

"Yer's a dime, Johnny, to git some candy," said Seth, endeavoring to
distort his passion-set face into a smile.

Johnny Filgee's small, berry-stained palm promptly closed over the coin.

"Now, don't lie. Where's Cressy?"

"Kithin' her bo."

"Good boy. What bo?"

Johnny hesitated. He had once seen the school-master and Cressy
together; he had heard it whispered by the other children that they
loved each other. But looking at Seth and Mrs. McKinstry he felt that
something more tremendous than this stupid fact was required of him for
grown-up people, and being honest and imaginative, he determined that it
should be worth the money.

"Speak up, Johnny, don't be afeard to tell."

Johnny was not "afeard"--he was only thinking. He had it! He remembered
that he had just seen his paragon, the brilliant Stacey, coming from
the boundary woods. What more poetical and startlingly effective than to
connect him with Cressy? He replied promptly:--

"Mithter Thtathy. He gived her a watch and ring of truly gold. Goin' to
be married at Thacramento."

"You lyin' limb," said Seth, seizing him roughly. But Mrs. McKinstry
interposed.

"Let that brat go," she said with gleaming eyes. "I want to talk to
you." Seth released Johnny. "It's a trick," he said, "he's bin put up to
it by that Ford."

But Johnny, after securing a safe vantage behind the blackberry bush,
determined to give them another trial-