eyes.

Bart knew he would not be unfriendly. His father, one stormy night a few
years previous, had picked up Green half frozen to death in a snowdrift,
where he had fallen in a drunken stupor.

Every Christmas day since then, Green had regularly sent a jug of liquor
to his father, with word by the messenger that it was for "the squarest
man in Pleasantville, who had saved his life."

Mr. Stirling had set Bart a practical temperance example by pouring the
liquor into the sink, but had not offended Green by declining his
well-meant offerings.

Bart remembered this, and felt that he might appeal to Green to some
purpose.

"Mr. Wacker is not at home," he explained, "and I wish to find him. I
understand he was here last night."

"He was," assented Green. "Came here about ten, and hasn't left the
house since."

"Why!" ejaculated Bart--and paused abruptly. "He is here now?"

"Asleep upstairs."

"And he has been here since--he is here now!" questioned Bart
incredulously.

"He was, ten minutes ago, when I came down--" asserted Green.

Bart stood dumbfounded. He was at fault--the thought flashed over his
mind in an instant.

It would not be so easy as he had fancied to run down the burglars, for
if what Silas Green said was true, Lem Wacker could prove a most
conclusive _alibi_.

CHAPTER XVII

A FAINT CLEW

"What's the trouble, Stirling?" inquired Silas Green, as Bart stood
silently thinking out the problem set before him. "You seem sort of
disappointed to find Wacker here. If you didn't think he was here, why
did you come inquiring for him?"

"I knew he came here last night," said Bart. "Mrs. Wacker told me so."

"Do you want to see him?"

"No, I think not," answered Bart after a moment's reflection.

"Then is there anything else I can do for you, or tell you? You seem
troubled. They say I'm a crabbed, treacherous old fellow. All the same,
I would do a good turn for Robert Stirling's son!"

"Thank you," said Bart, feeling easier. "If you will, you might tell me
who was with Lem Wacker last night."

"Two men--don't know them from Adam, never saw them before. Lem drove
up with them in his rig about ten o'clock. They took the horse and wagon
around to the side shed and came in, drank and talked a lot among
themselves, and finally started playing cards in the little room
yonder."

"By themselves?"

"Yes. Once, when I went in with refreshments, Wacker was in a terrible
temper. It seemed he h