boy, and beat him with clubs,
and perhaps murder him."

"Yes; but I didn't think of it in that way or I wouldn't have come.
Matthew hired me."

"So much the worse, if you would sell yourself to do such a wicked
deed. You are as guilty as he, and it is my duty to hand you over to the
State."

It was plainly Mr. Simmons' duty to hand young Short over to the
authorities, but when he found that Matthew De Vere was the principal
offender, a scheme instantly suggested itself to him--a plan to extort
money from the rich banker to keep the affair a secret, and save his
family from disgrace. Thus Jacob's regard for the law and justice, which
was sincere at first, before he saw an opportunity of turning his
knowledge to a money value, was now but an assumed position to draw Tim
out, and to hold over his head the power that would frighten him into
doing his bidding.

By entertaining this idea of suppressing the knowledge of the crime in
order to get the reward Mr. Simmons became, in a sense, a party to the
assault upon himself, and morally guilty with the boys, though
undoubtedly in a less degree.

However, this did not trouble his conscience, as he was one who lived
for money, and he saw here a chance to replenish his pocketbook. He took
Tim with him, and, after getting his story in full regarding Matthew's
object in waylaying Fred Worthington, gave him a conditional pardon;
that is, he agreed to wait a few days before handing him over to the
sheriff, to see if he could get Matthew to buy his liberty by paying
handsomely to suppress the whole affair. If he did not succeed in this,
he assured Tim that he would then be arrested, convicted, and sent to
prison.

Mr. Simmons next told his prisoner that Matthew was liable with him, and
would be arrested at the same time unless he complied with his
proposition, which was that he should be paid five hundred dollars cash
for the injuries he had received. If Matthew and his father did not
comply with this demand, then he would summon the sheriff at once, have
both offenders arrested, and the entire facts made public.

Though five hundred dollars seemed an enormous sum to young Short, he
was nevertheless glad to get off temporarily on these conditions. He
promised to try to raise this amount through Matthew, or, if he failed
in so doing, to secure by some means one hundred dollars to free
himself. Jacob had at last very shrewdly, though with seeming
reluctance, agreed, if Tim coul