outh is, sir, and how it drives a
person to say more than he means sometimes."

"Now, your honor, this defendant has counsel to plead for him at the
proper time," complained the prosecutor, "and I demand that he confine
himself to answering my questions without comment."

"Let the witness explain in his own way," said the judge, who probably
felt that this concession, at least, was due a man on trial for his
life. There was a finality in his words which did not admit of dispute,
and the prosecuting attorney was wise enough not to attempt it.

"You threatened to kill Isom Chase that morning when he laid hands on
you and pulled you out of bed. Your words were, as you have heard Mrs.
Chase testify under oath in that very chair where you now sit, 'If you
hit me, I'll kill you in your tracks!' Those were your words, were they
not?"

"I expect I said something like that--I don't just remember the exact
words now--but that was what I wanted him to understand. I don't think
I'd have hurt him very much, though, and I couldn't have killed him,
because I wasn't armed. It was a hot-blooded threat, that's all it
was."

"You didn't ordinarily pack a gun around with you, then?"

"No, sir, I never did pack a gun."

"But you said you'd kill old Isom up there in the loft that morning, and
you said it in a way that made him think you meant it. That's what you
wanted him to understand, wasn't it?"

"I talked rough, but I didn't mean it--not as bad as that anyhow."

"No, that was just a little neighborly joke, I suppose," said the
prosecutor sneeringly. He was playing for a laugh and he got it.

Captain Taylor almost skinned his knuckles rapping them down that time,
although the mirth was neither general nor boisterous. Joe did not add
to Lucas's comment, and he went on:

"Well, what were you doing when Isom Chase opened the door and came into
the kitchen that night when he came home from serving on the jury?"

"I was standing by the table," said Joe.

"With your hat in your hand, or on your head, or where?"

"My hat was on the table. I usually left it there at night, so it would
be handy when I came down in the morning. I threw it there when I went
in, before I lit the lamp."

"And you say that Isom opened the door, came in and said, 'I'll kill
you!' Now, what did he say before that?"

"Not a word, sir," insisted Joe.

"Who else was in that room?"

"Nobody, sir."

The prosecutor leaned forward, his face as red as if