THE FEATHER MAN 255 



Once, again, the lad's bluntness took the slow- 

 thinking men aback. 



''Yo' can be right sure," the fisherman an- 

 swered, ''that we're goin' to find out. But it 

 might have been accidental-like. ' ' 



'*Ned Thompson shoot a man by accident!" ex- 

 claimed Shan, with a sneer. 



There came a slow distinct voice from the bed, 

 and every one turned to listen. 



"Easy yo', Shan," said Bull; "don't never ac- 

 cuse no man without 'n proof. I don't know who 

 did it, an' — " he paused to get breath, "an', if I 

 did, I wouldn't say. I ain't goin' — to ask — no 

 help — 0' the law, now." 



"We'll take care 0' that end of it, Bull," the 

 fisherman declared. 



Another man, with the best intentions, stepped 

 to the side of the bed. 



"Take a drink. Bull," he said, taking a small 

 bottle out of his pocket. 



The old moonshiner stirred. 



"Put that outside !" he said in what was an ap- 

 proach to his former stern tone ; ' ' there ain 't never 

 been no whisky in this cabin, an' there ain't goin' 

 to be, not so long as I'm alive." 



The men looked with surprise at one another, 



