, and the jury just waited and the audience began to
whisper and I looked across the room and saw John Armstrong. Everybody
was there except grandpa and grandma, Willie Wallace, my uncle and maybe
a few others.

After a while the judge, my pa and Major Abbott came out of the judge's
room. The judge got on the bench and said, "You may proceed, Mr. States
Attorney."

My pa turned around and looked down in the audience, and said in a loud
voice, "Mitchell Miller, take the witness stand, please."

I was knocked over. Here was Tom Sawyer right over again. Mitch was
goin' to testify. What on earth did he know? He'd never told me a word.

Mitch was dreadful pale, and so was Mr. Miller. But Mr. Miller says,
"Come on, my boy, and may God help you."

So they got up, and Mr. Miller walked with Mitch inside the railin' and
stood there, very sad, until Mitch took the witness chair, then he
walked back and sat down inside the railing.

All the jury was craning their necks now and the court room was so still
that the tickin' of the clock was scary.

It seemed as Mitch was only twelve, they had to ask him about whether he
knew what he was doin'. So my pa began this a way, after Mitch was
sworn.

"What is your name?"

"Mitchell Miller."

"How old are you?"

"Twelve years old."

"Do you understand the obligations of an oath?"

"I do, sir."

"What are they?"

"They are to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth."

"And if you don't tell the truth, what will happen to you?"

"I'll be punished."

"How?"

"By prison."

"What else?"

"By God."

"You believe in God, do you, Mitchie?" asked my pa in a quieter voice.

"I do," said Mitch.

"And a hereafter."

"I do."

"And that you'll be punished in the hereafter if you don't tell the
truth?"

"That's leading, your honor," interrupted Major Abbott.

"Yes," said the judge.

"Very well," said my pa.

"What else will happen to you if you don't tell the truth, Mitchell?"

"I'll be punished in the hereafter."

"Cross-examine," said my pa.

Then Major Abbott began in kind of a sneerin' voice.

"So you think you'll be punished in the hereafter?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why?"

"Why wouldn't I be for swearin' a man's life away?"

"For swearin' a man's life away," repeated Major Abbott, kind of
stunned.

"That's what I'm obliged to do," said Mitch.

"Well, one thing at a time, my boy," said the Major, a little
friendlier. "Tell me now wh