sh you to it may go
mighty hard with you."

"But I'll stick to it that I bought the turn-out," returned the corn
salve doctor, trying to put on a bold front. "You'll have to prove
that you didn't make the sale. I won't be bulldozed."

"Get a rope and bind him, Matt," said Andy, paying no attention to the
last remark. "We'll take him to the nearest police station. I suppose
there will have to be some papers made out before he can be taken back
to New Jersey."

The young auctioneer sprang into the wagon and soon brought forth a
long and stout rope. Paul Barberry watched these preparations with an
anxious face, and when Ramson stepped forward to aid in making him a
close prisoner he began to wilt.

"See here," he said, addressing Andy and Matt, "I don't want to be
locked up. It would injure my reputation to a great extent. I am
willing to admit that I have done wrong, but I--I--did it by mistake.
I haven't felt well for several days, and my head has been affected,
that's the whole truth of the matter. When I get those spells I don't
know what I am doing."

"He's a good one at crawling," remarked Ramson in disgust. "He'll get
over the spells when he's locked up."

In spite of his protestations and pleadings, Barberry was tightly
bound and fastened to the rear of the wagon. Then Billy, who had had
quite a rest, was harnessed up once more, and with Matt on the seat
and Ramson going on ahead to pick the way, they started off for the
village, Andy keeping in the rear to see to it that their prisoner
should not escape.

The way was dark and uncertain, but the tall mountaineer proved a good
and careful guide, and at the end of an hour and a half the worst part
of the journey was over. They entered the village just as the town
clock was striking one.

"If you want the man arrested you had better take him directly to
Justice Harwig's house," said Ramson. "He does all the law business in
these parts."

So to that individual's cottage they turned, and Matt sprang from the
wagon and used the old-fashioned knocker vigorously. A long silence
followed, and then a window upstairs was raised and a head adorned
with a nightcap was thrust out.

"What's wanted?"

"We've got a criminal for ye, judge," called out Ramson. "The fellow
as run away with that auction turn-out."

"A criminal, eh? All right, I'll be down in a minnit!"

The head disappeared and the window was closed. Five minutes passed
and then a light appeared in a