The Unknown Wrestler Part 41

"That would be rather embarra.s.sing, would it not?"

"I dare you to do it," and she dangled the wreath before him.

"Come, come, Nan," Nell chided. "Don't be foolish. You make Mr.

Handyman feel badly."

"That's just what I want to do. He has neglected me, and I want to punish him."

"Give me the wreath," and Douglas stretched out his hand.

Rising to his feet, he placed the beautiful lilies upon Nell's head, and then stepped back to view the effect.

"There," and he turned to Nan, "I have accepted your dare, so I hope you are satisfied."

"You mean thing!" the girl pouted. "I don't want anything more to do with you. Come, Sadie, let's go for a walk. We're not wanted here."

"You must not go now, Nan," her sister ordered. "It will soon be tea time, and I want you to help me. Father will be awake soon."

The time sped all too quickly for Douglas, and he wondered what would happen before he should spend another such pleasant afternoon with Nell. She did not remove the wreath he had placed upon her head until that evening after he had left her at the cottage door. Then she placed it in a dish of water to keep the lilies fresh as long as possible in memory of that happy day. A strange happiness possessed her, and her heart was full of peace such as she had never before experienced.

Douglas had the feeling that he was now nearing a crisis in his sojourn at Rixton, and the next morning he told Jake that he had better get another man to help him.

"What! Surely ye'r not goin' to leave us, are ye?" Jake exclaimed.

"Not just yet," Douglas informed him. "But I may not be able to give you full service for a while. And, besides, if this trial should go against me, I may be forced to leave the place after all. If Squire Hawkins fails to give justice and allows Ben to go free, what am I to do?" Douglas merely asked this to see what Jake would say.

"So ye think that Hen Hawkins might not give ye justice, eh? Is that what's botherin' ye?"

"Oh, it's not bothering me very much, only it might shorten my stay here, that's all. It will be no use for me to remain in this place with all the people against me. I can go elsewhere."

"The hull people'll not be aginst ye," and Jake brought his big fist down upon the kitchen table with a bang. "Mebbe they'll have a few things to say if Hen Hawkins isn't on the square. I know that him an'

the Stubbles eat out of the same trough. But great punkins! they'll dance on the same griddle if they're not keerful."

Douglas was surprised at the number of men gathered at the hall when he and Jake arrived that afternoon. Most of them were sitting or standing in little groups outside, discussing the one important question of the day. Just what they were saying he could not tell, as the time had come for the trial to begin and the men flocked into the building.

Squire Hawkins was sitting on the platform, and by his side was his clerk with pen and paper before him, ready to take down the evidence.

"Guess the Squire has closed his store this afternoon," Jake whispered to his companion. "He's got his clerk with him to do the writin'."

Douglas noticed that Ben Stubbles was not in the hall, but he saw Tom and Pete with the other men who had taken part in the attack, sitting in the front seat. Had Ben been summoned? he wondered. He wanted the rascal to be present to hear all that would be said.

The trial was the most peculiar and interesting one Douglas had ever witnessed. Squire Hawkins did not know how to conduct the case, but what he lacked in knowledge he made up in words and a pompous manner.

He was feeling his importance on this occasion, and was determined to make the most of it. Rising to his feet, he stated the charges that had been made against Tom Totten and Pete Rollins. Then he ordered the offenders to come forward.

"You have heard the charges made against you, have you not?" he asked.

"We have," was the reply.

"Are you guilty or not guilty?"

"Guilty, sir."

This candid admission was a surprise to the Squire, as he had expected that the men would emphatically deny the charges. He was not prepared for this, and hardly knew how to proceed. He frowned, twisted in his chair, and felt most uncomfortable. The staring and gaping audience greatly embarra.s.sed him.

"S-so you confess your guilt, eh?" he at length stammered.

"Yes, sir; we do."

"Are you not afraid of the consequences!"

"What are they?"

"W-well, I h-have to see about that. I'm not just sure yet. But why did you make the attack upon Mr. Handyman?"

"We were ordered to do so, sir," Tom replied.

"H'm, I see," and the Squire rubbed his chin thoughtfully with his right hand. He was thinking clearly now, and realised how necessary it was for him to be most discreet with his questions. "Were there just two of you?" he presently asked.

"No, sir."

"Who were the others?"

"They can speak for themselves, sir."

No sooner had the words left Tom's mouth than four men stepped forward.

"And were you in the trouble, too?" the Squire questioned.

"Yes, sir," the spokesman replied. "We was with Tom an' Pete. We're guilty, too."

"Well, I must say you are a fine bunch of nighthawks," and the Squire gave a slight, sarcastic laugh. "You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves."

"We're more'n ashamed, sir," Tom replied; "we're disgusted."

"Disgusted at what?"

"At makin' sich fools of ourselves, an' bein' the tools of another."

"But you are responsible men, and why do you try to s.h.i.+ft the blame to other shoulders?" the Squire sternly demanded.

"Because we'd been drinkin', sir. We really didn't know what we was doin' that night. The whiskey was given us an' we was ready for any divilment. That's the long and short of it."

Squire Hawkins now rose slowly to his feet and looked upon the audience before him.

"Gentlemen," he began, "I do not see any reason why I should prolong this enquiry. These men have confessed everything, and there is nothing more for me to do except to impose the penalties. I shall be very lenient as this is the first time they have been brought before me. But I wish to warn you all that if I am called upon to deal with such a case again, I shall be very severe."

No sooner had the Squire sat down, than Douglas was on his feet. He had listened with almost incredulous amazement to the way in which the enquiry had been conducted, and he knew that if some one did not interfere, the one who was really guilty would escape.

"May I be allowed to speak?" he asked.