She professed to be very
unwilling to say anything likely to injure her good friends, Luke
and his mother, but managed to tell, quite dramatically, how she
first caught a glimpse of the tin box.
"Did Mrs. Larkin know that you saw it?" asked the squire.
"She didn't know for certain," answered Melinda, "but she was
evidently afraid I would, for she shut the trunk in a hurry, and
seemed very much confused. I thought of this directly when I heard
of the bank robbery, and I went over to tell Luke and his mother."
"How did they receive your communication?"
"They seemed very much frightened."
"And you inferred that they had not come honestly by the tin box?"
"It grieves me to say that I did," said Melinda, putting her
handkerchief to her eyes to brush away an imaginary tear.
Finally Melinda sat down, and witnesses were called to testify to
Luke's good character. There were more who wished to be sworn
than there was time to hear. Mr. Beane called only Mr. Hooper, Mr.
Tomkins and Luke's Sunday-school teacher. Then he called Luke to
testify in his own defense.
Luke told a straightforward story--the same that he had told
before--replying readily and easily to any questions that were
asked him.
"I submit, Squire Duncan," said Mr. Beane, "that my client's
statement is plain and frank and explains everything. I hold that it
exonerates him from all suspicion of complicity with the robbery."
"I differ with you," said Squire Duncan, acidly.
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