The big one wasn't in it! He
kep' tryin' to stop 'em, buttin' in with his whip."
"But how do you know all this, Chick?" cried Miss Lady almost
fiercely; "did the Sheeley boy tell you?"
"Skeeter? Shucks, he don't know nothin' 'ceptin' what his paw tole
him."
"But who told you?"
Chick closed his lips and shook his head: "He'll set the cop on me."
"Who?"
"Skeeter's paw. Fer smashin' the slot machine. But I never took none
of his money, Mis' Squeerington; it was mine!" His lips began to
tremble.
"The cop won't get you, Chick," said Miss Lady, now on her knees
beside him, coaxing out each statement, and trying to keep down her
excitement. "Tell me, quick! How do you know about the shooting?"
"'Cause," said Chick fearfully, "I--I seen it!"
"Well, if that ain't the limit!" said Phineas, while Maria gathered
Loreny up under the impression that Chick had lost his mind, and might
become dangerous.
"I got shut up in the saloon," continued Chick, evidently torn between
the desire to be a hero and the fear of the consequences, "an' it was
night, an' I went to sleep."
"Yes, yes!" pressed Miss Lady; "go on."
"Then they come in an' got to rough-housin' an' I crawl up-stairs an'
lay on me stommick an' peek through the crack.
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