difficulty,
forced breath enough through the grasp of the strong man's hand around
his throat to speak at all.

"Don't, eh?" echoed Mr. Simmons, with another shake, given, probably,
with the view of bringing Tim back to his senses.

"It was a mistake--oh, don't; you will cho--choke me to death."

"Well, then, tell me all about this business, and why you assaulted me
in this outrageous manner."

"We didn't know it was you. We thought----"

"The truth, mind you, now."

"I am telling the truth, and I say we thought you were some one else."

"It was a plot, then, to rob and murder some one else?"

"No, it wasn't, and I didn't have anything to do with the plot. Matthew
hired me to----"

"Matthew who?" interrupted Jacob, whose anger was giving place, to some
extent, to his interest in the affair.

"Matthew De Vere."

"Matthew De Vere!" exclaimed Mr. Simmons, with intense surprise, giving
vent to a low whistle. "His father rich, proud, a banker," continued the
wily Jacob, easing his grasp upon the throat of Tim. "And he, Matthew De
Vere, is the villain who raised his club to hit me on the head--to
murder me, perhaps?"

Young Short caught at the idea of freeing himself by implicating
Matthew, so he replied:

"Yes, he was the fellow, but when he saw his mistake he dusted out, for
it wasn't you he wanted."

"Of course you would plead innocent--all outlaws do--and try to throw
the blame on some one else; but you can't get away now. I shall have you
arrested and locked up for an attempt at robbery and murder."

"Oh, don't--don't!" pleaded Tim, with tears and bitter anguish.

"Come along. I'll have to put you in safe keeping, where you will not
get a chance to try this game of murder again right away."

"Please don't! Oh, don't, Mr. Simmons! I will tell you all I know about
it, and do anything--work all my life for you if you will only let me
go."

"Let you go, after this affair? Yes, I will let you go--go to the
sheriff! Come along, I say."

"It's all Matthew's fault--wanting to lick Fred Worthington."

"Do you expect me to believe such a story? It's a fine yarn to try and
clear yourself when you are the one that almost broke my leg with your
club."

"He told me to hit you----"

"Told you to hit me?"

"I mean to hit Fred, for he was waiting for him--said he wanted to get
square with him."

"Then, according to your own story, you hired yourself to Matthew De
Vere to come here and waylay an innocent