queer, pathetic humor.
And turning a patient, rounded back to his wife's expected
indignation, he told his story while he nervously washed at the
sink, and fumblingly dried his face and hands in the coarse roller
towel. He made these operations last as long as his confession.
Then, at an end of his resources, he turned to face the storm.

Mrs. Peaslee simply looked at him. She struggled to speak, but she
found herself in the predicament of one who has used up all
ammunition on the skirmish-line, and comes helpless to the battle.
She simply could think of nothing adequate to say.

She stared at her husband while he stared out of the window.

Then she gave it up.

"Draw up your chair!" she said sharply. "I guess ye got to eat,
whatever ye be!"

[Illustration: HE TURNED TO FACE THE STORM]

[Illustration: Cat drinking from saucer.]

VII

When the grand jury dispersed after Mr. Peaslee's confession,
Farnsworth, first speaking a few words to Paige, the state's
attorney, hurried toward the Union School. As he expected, he
met Miss Ware coming from it on her way to her boarding-house.

He waved his hat, and called:--

"Jim's free!"

As he reached her side he added, "He didn't fire the shot at all."

"Of course he didn't!" cried Nancy, triumphantly. "Didn't I tell
you? But who did, and how did you find out?"

"Peaslee," said Farnsworth. "He owned up."

"Mr. Peaslee! Then that awful harmonica--Why, the wretch!"

"Sh!" warned Farnsworth. "Not so loud! These are jury-room secrets
which I'm not supposed to tell."

But he told them, nevertheless. As the two walked along together,
he gave her an account of all that had happened.

"But what I don't understand," he concluded, "is what made Jim
behave so. What did he clean his gun for? Why did he hide the rags
and put away the ammunition? He acted just as if he were trying to
shield some one. We know he wasn't trying to shield himself, and I
don't see why he should shield Peaslee."

"Fred!" said Nancy, stopping and facing him. "Jim knew that his
father was the only person in the house, didn't he?"

"Yes," said Farnsworth.

"Then he thought his father did it!"

"O pshaw!" exclaimed Farnsworth. "He couldn't!"

"Don't be rude, Fred!" admonished Nancy. "Wasn't I right before?
Well, I'm right now. How could he have thought anything else? I'm
going straight to the jail and find out. And can we get him away
from that jail?"

"Yes," said Farnsworth. "I sp