, some day, perhaps, I'd get a chance to even up.

"John," he said, a few minutes later, when we took a short stroll
around the place. "Now that I've started in to tell the whole
truth I musn't skip a paragraph. This is a pleasant bit of
property, but the solemn fact remains that I put the boots to you.
I gave you the gaff for $6,000, old friend, and it breaks my heart
to tell you that I'm not sorry. Bunch for Number One, always!"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"This farm only cost me $8,000," he said, giving me the pitying
grin.

"It cost me $14,000 and I sold it for $20,000," I said, slowly.

We stopped and shook hands.

"Who's the come-on?" he asked, presently.

"Uncle Peter," I answered, "but the old boy has so much he has to
kick a lot of it out of the house every once in a while, so it's
all right."

After dinner we were all sitting on the piazza listening to a
treatise from Uncle Peter on the subject of the growth and proper
care of wheat cakes, or asparagus, I forget which, when suddenly
the cadaverous form of the Sherlock Holmes of Jiggersville appeared
before us.

"Evenin' all!" bowed Harmony Diggs, clinging tightly to a bundle
which he held under his arm.

"Find that robber yet?" inquired Bunch, winking at me.

"That's just what I dropped around for to tell you, thinkin' maybe
you'd be kinder interested in knowin' the facts in the case,"
Harmony went on, carefully placing the precious bundle on the steps.

"I got a clue from this here gent," he said, pointing a bony finger
at Bunch, "and I ups and chases that there maleyfactor for four
miles, well knowin' that the cause of justice would suffer and the
reward of fifty dollars be nil and voidless if the critter got
away. But I got him, by crickey, I got him!"

He looked from one to the other, seeking a sign of applause, and
Bunch said, "Where did you catch him?"

"About four miles yonder," Diggs explained, indefinitely. "It was
a fierce fight while it lasted, but they ain't no maleyfactor
livin' can escape the clutches of these here hands oncet they
entwines him. I pulled the dem cuss out of his clothes!"

With this thrilling announcement he opened the bundle and proudly
displayed the burglar harness which Bunch had worn on that
memorable night.

"And the burglar himself?" Bunch questioned.

Diggs raised his head slowly, and with theatrical effect answered,
"I give the cussed scoun'rel the doggonest drubbin' a mortal
maleyfactor ev