with his head bobbing forward and back so rapidly that his teeth cut
into his under lip.

'But _I_ shall,' Peterkin roared. 'I'll have the young dog arrested,
too, if he don't own up and give up.'

There was a wicked look in Arthur's black eyes, which he fastened upon
Peterkin, as he said;

'What does it all mean, sir? Will you please explain?'

'Yes, in double quick time,' replied Peterkin, a little nettled by
Arthur's manner, which he could not understand. 'You see, me and Mary
Jane was early to the doin's; fust ones, in fact, for when your invite
says half past seven it means it, I take it. Wall, we was here on time,
and Mary Jane has been on a tear ever since, and says Miss St. Claire
nor none of the big bugs didn't come till nine, which I take is
imperlite, don't you?'

'Never mind, we are not discussing etiquette. Go on with the pin and the
boy,' Arthur said haughtily.

'Mary Jane,' Peterkin continued, 'had a gold-headed shawl pin, with a
small diamond in the head--real, too, for I don't b'lieve in shams, and
haint sense the day I quit boatin' and hauled ther 'Liza Ann up inter my
back yard. Well, she left this pin stickin' in her shawl, and no one up
there but this boy of that Crawford gal's, and nobody knows who else.'

Something in Arthur's face and manner made Frank think of a tiger about
to pounce upon its prey, and he felt himself growing cold with suspense