he false statement stand.

Out from the town were numerous lanes, soft with turf, and with orchards
on every side. Amid the darkened green I saw the yellowing pear, the red
flash of the apple; and from amid the bushes blackberries peeped like
the eyes of a deer. At the end of a lane was a deep ravine, one side a
grassy slope, the other a terraced vineyard, and up this romantic rent I
walked, in a Switzerland, a France. On the green slope was a cottage,
with a high fence behind it, and as I drew near I thought that it would
be a soothing privilege to enter the house and talk with the humble
people who lived therein. Suddenly there came a shout that sent a spurt
of blood to my heart----

"Hike, there, Sam! Hike, there, Bob--hike, there!"

I ran to the fence, grasped the top, drew myself up and looked over into
the small inclosure; and there was old Lim Jucklin, down on his knees,
beating the ground with his hat. I let myself drop and ran round the
gate, opened it without noise and stepped inside. The old man now held
one of the chickens by the neck and was putting him into a coop.

"Oh, it would suit you to fight to a finish, wouldn't it? And you may,
one of these days, as soon as I hear from down yander. Git in there.
Come here, Bob. You've got to go in, too. Caught you on the top-knot,
didn't he? Well, you must learn to dodge better. Ain't quite as peart as
one of the other Bobs I could tell you about. Now, boys, you are all
right, but I want you to understand---well, since Moses hit the rock!"
he cried, scrambling to his feet. "Hold on, now, don't you tech
me--don't know whether you are Bill or Bill's ghost. By jings, if it
ain't Bill, I'm a calf's rennet. Since Moses hit the rock!"

He grabbed me and hung upon me, and I put my arm about him. "Don't tell
me nuthin' now, Bill. Don't want to hear a word, for I'm deefer than a
horse block."

"You have nothing to fear, Mr. Jucklin. I bring good news. Alf isn't out
yet, but he will be. I have other news----"

"But don't tell me. Deefer than a horse-block. What did I do with that
d----d handkerchief? Take that back--kiver to kiver. Had it in my hat
a minit ago. Sand from this here lake shore gits in a feller's eyes.
Ain't got used to it yet. Hope the Lord will excuse me for cussin' like
a sailor. Must have got it from them fellers down on the lake shore.
Kiver to kiver. Now let us go into the house. Door's round there facin'
the holler. Let me go in first; you stand o