endeavor to answer them," replied Bill.

"Well, proceed. Did you do the job?"

"No, not exactly as laid down in the bill, but--"

"What! did you let him go?"

"Why, no, your honor, we didn't let him go, for the very good reason that
he didn't give us a chance to show him so much mercy."

"How?"

"You see the fellow didn't come himself, but sent a substitute!"

"The deuce, he did! How's that?"

"That's what we can't tell; we only know, that instead of young Hadley, we
came within an ace of killing 'Squire Williams!"

"'Squire Williams!"

"Yes, sir. He came along at the precise hour that should have brought the
other, and it being too dark to distinguish one man from another, or from
old Nick for that matter, we fell on to him, and but for the merest chance
would have finished him."

Here the enactment of the early part of the evening was rehearsed in full.

"It is well you got off so easily, and I must give you credit for your