parent with an odd suggestion of
the small boy caught in mischief, "me and Jeff are aimin' to join the
church."

"That's right, son," said the old man rising and clapping a hearty hand
on each young shoulder. "I'm mighty proud to hear it. Hit's a good way
for fellers like you to start out in this world."

"Well, befo' we do so," Jeff took up the burden, "the preacher says we
ort to confess our sins and git forgiveness from them we have done wrong
by. Creed Bonbright ain't here. Mebbe he's never goin' to be back any
mo'. We talked it over and 'lowed we'd better come tell you, pap."

At Creed Bonbright's name a pathetic change went over old Jephthah's
pleased countenance. He had received the opening words with satisfaction,
not untinctured by the mild, patronising indulgence we show to children.
But when Bonbright was mentioned he sat back in his chair, nervously
knocking the ash from his pipe, anxiously staring at the boys.

"I'm mighty proud," he repeated, "to hear what you say." He spoke gravely
and with dignity; but a note of uncontrollable eagerness stole into his
voice, as he added in a lower tone, "What mought you-all have to tell me
about Creed Bonbright?"

"Pap, we done you a meanness in that business," hastened Jeff. "We had no
call to lie to you like we done, and send the feller word in yo' name."

"Wade, he was mad about his gal," agreed Andy thoughtfully, "but what
possessed me and Jeff I'll never tell ye. Spy or no spy, we done that man
wrong."

Jephthah looked expectantly and in silence from one young face to the
other.

"Blatch let on to you hit was the still; but of course we knowed hit was
Jude that ailed him. He got Taylor Stribling to toll Creed to Foeman's
Bluff that night," Jeff supplied. "Blatch picked the quarrel, and drawed
a knife when they was wrastlin', and when Bonbright pushed Blatch away
from him, he fell over the cliff. That's God's truth about the business,
pappy, ef I ever spoke it. Me an' Andy an' Wade was all into it."

The boyish countenance was pale, and Jeff drew a nervous hand across his
brow as he concluded. There followed a lengthened silence. Old Jephthah
sat regarding his own brown right hand as it lay upon his knee.

"Ye tolled him thar," he said finally. "Ye tolled him thar. Then Creed
Bonbright wasn't no spy." He lifted his head. "I never could make it
figure up right for that feller to be a spy. Curious he was, and he had
some idees that I couldn't agree with; bu