"
"I see," said Henry Sherwood again, nodding.
"On the other hand, you wanted me, if I knowed which was right,
to witness, too. If I'd witnessed for Ged, ev'rybody wuld ha'
thought I done it because he had a mortgage on the farm."
"I s'pose so," admitted Uncle Henry.
"Or, if I helped you, they'd ha' thought you'd bribed me - mebbe
helped me git square with Ged."
"I couldn't. Too poor just now," said Uncle Henry, grimly. "But
I'd the mind for it, Toby."
"Well, there ye be. Whichever way the cat jumped, I'd lost the
respect of the community," said the old lumberman. "But now I am
independent, I don't give a dern!"
Mr. Sherwood looked at him expectantly. Toby's "wizzled" face
shone.
"I got a debt owin' to that leetle gal you got here, and
somethin' to pay off to Tommy, too. But money won't do it, ef I
had money. I am goin' to tell what I know about that boundary,
though, Hen, and it will do YOU good! I can find another old
feller, livin' down Pale Lick way, that can corroborate my
evidence.
"You can git that injunction vacated at once, Hen, if you want,
and put your axe-men right back into the Perkins Tract to work.
That's what I come 'round to tell ye."
Aunt Kate was moved to tears, an unusual expression of emotion
on her part.
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