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Once he believed the house had been visited in the daytime, during his absence in town, but he could not be sure of that. Jean went to Chinook and stayed there, so that Lite saw her seldom. Carl also was away much of the time, trying by every means he could think of to swing public opinion and the evidence in Aleck's favor.
"Not me, my lad. Look! I trust you to come after me sharp before the cutter's men see you. Come, you won't shrink now?" "He came along this way, I'll swear," came from overhead, quite loudly, and a whistle rang out again. Eben Megg seized Aleck's arm with his left hand, and with his right caught the lad's fingers for a moment in a firm grip. "Jump just as I do. I'll be ready to catch you."
Then he began to tie it, shoving Aleck again as he did so. In the meantime Tom had gotten behind the colored man and was blowing up the rubber rabbit. As the rubber expanded Aleck's coat went up with it, until it looked as if the man was humpbacked. Then Tom fastened the hose, so the wind could not get out of it.
Aleck sprang in as soon as their guide was a few feet away, and the middy followed, both finding their task delightfully easy as they swam some fifty yards through a low tunnel, whose roof was for the most part so close to the surface that more than once, as the smooth water heaved, Aleck's face just touched the impending smoothly-worn stone.
As the story had been repeated to Lite by half a dozen men, who had heard him tell it, Aleck's own testimony had been responsible for the verdict. Men had told Lite plainly that Aleck was a fool not to plead self-defense, even in face of the fact that Johnny Croft had not drawn any weapon. Jim had declared that Aleck could have sworn that Johnny reached for his gun.
"I don't want to be driftin' around jess nowhar, wid nuffin to do, an' no money comin' in not but what I'll work cheap, as I dun said I would," he added hastily. A little later Randolph Rover joined the group and Aleck's proposition was laid before him.
Even Aleck's lean bulk seemed to expand and flourish in the atmosphere of happiness about him. His sudden venture was a success, beyond a doubt. The party had many merry hours, many others full of a quiet pleasure, none that were heavy or uneasy.
So back to town went Elder Brown, not in the order of the early morn, but silently, moodily, despairingly, surrounded by mental and actual gloom. The old man had turned a last appealing glance upon the angry woman, as he mounted with Aleck's assistance, and sat in the light that streamed from out the kitchen window. She met the glance without a waver.
"It is an uncommonly awkward business for me, and your cousin will not forgive it in a hurry, I fancy; but it really was not poor Aleck's fault he is gentle as a lamb, if only he is let alone." "He has a very honest face, though his nose does look as though it were broken," she said, and, stooping down, she patted the dog. "But I must be going in to breakfast," she went on, presently.
Terrible pity he couldn't have held on till Christmas, his Navidad, that always meant so much to him. But he couldn't. Things have changed at Sobrante since you was here. I'm glad you've come. I'm powerful glad you've come." "Any new trouble, Ephraim?" "H'm! I should say. Ghosts, the women think, and scamps for certain. But it's a long story, and here we are at Aleck's.
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