Part 32 (1/2)
”And if we are to believe Mr. Ma.s.sey,” added Janice, ”there are not many ten dollar gold pieces of that particular date in existence.”
”We don't really know. Perhaps Ma.s.sey is mistaken. We know he was excited,” said Nelson.
”Hold hard, now,” advised Uncle Jason, ”It's a breach in their walls, nevertheless.”
”How is that, Mr. Day?” asked the schoolmaster.
”Why, don't you see?” said Uncle Jason, puffing on his pipe in some excitement. ”They have opened th' way for Doubt ter stalk in,” and he chuckled. ”Them committeemen have been toller'ble sure--er they've _said_ they was--it was you stole the money, Mr. Haley. If they can't connect this coin with you at all, they'll sartain sure be up a stump.
And they air a-breakin' down their own case against ye. I guess I'm lawyer enough ter see that.”
”Oh, goodness, Uncle Jason! So they will!” cried Janice.
”But it does not seem reasonable that the person stealing the coins would spend one of them in Polktown,” Nelson said slowly.
”I dunno,” reflected Mr. Day. ”I never did think that a thief had any medals fer good sense--nossir! He most allus leaves some openin' so's ter git caught.”
”And if he spent the money at the tavern--and for liquor--of course he _couldn't_ have good sense.”
”I take off my hat to you on that point, Janice,” laughed Nelson. ”I believe you are right.”
”Ya-as, ain't she?” Aunt Almira said proudly. ”An' our Janice has done suthin' this time that'll make Polktown put her on a ped-ped-es-tri-an----”
”'Pedestal,' Maw!” giggled Marty.
”Wal, never mind,” said the somewhat flurried Mrs. Day. ”Mr. Middler said it. Mr. Haley, ye'd oughter hear all 't Mr. Middler said about her this arternoon at the meetin' of the Ladies' Aid.”
”Oh, Auntie!” murmured Janice, turning very red.
”Go on, Maw, and tell us,” said Marty. ”What did he say?” and he grinned delightedly at his cousin's rosy face.
”Sing her praises, Mrs. Day--do,” urged Nelson. ”We know she deserves to have them sung.”
”Wal! I should say she did,” agreed Aunt 'Mira, proudly. ”It's her, the parson says, that's re'lly at the back of this temp'rance movement that's goin' ter be inaugurated right here in Polktown. Nex' Sunday he's goin' to give a sermon on temperance. He said 'at he was ashamed to feel that he--like the rest of us--was content ter drift along and _do nothin'_ 'cept ter talk against rum selling, until Janice began ter _do somethin'_.”
”Now, Auntie!” complained the girl again.
”Wal! You started it--ye know ye did, Janice. They was talkin' about holdin' meetings, an' pledge-signin', and stirrin' up the men folks ter vote nex' Fall ter make Polktown so everlastin'ly dry that all the old topers, like Jim Narnay, an' Bruton Willis, an'--an' the rest of 'em, will jest natcherly wither up an' blow away! I tell ye, the Ladies'
Aid is all worked up.”
”I wonder, now,” said Uncle Jason, reflectively.
”Ye wonder what, Jase Day?” demanded his spouse, with some warmth.
”I wonder if it can be _did_?” returned Uncle Jason. ”Lemme tell ye, rum sellin' an' rum drinkin' is purty well rooted in Polktown. If Janice is a-goin' ter stop th' sale of licker here, she's tackled purty consider'ble of a job, lemme tell ye.”
CHAPTER XXI
WHAT WAS IN THE PAPER
As the days pa.s.sed it certainly looked as though Mr. Day was correct in his surmise about the difficulties of ”Janice's job,” as he called it.