the boy himself might perhaps render good
service in the cause when the time came--
as indeed he did. On one of the front
chairs sat the young engineer and it was
a question whether he or the prisoner saw
the Blight's black plumes first. The eyes
of both flashed toward her simultaneously,
the engineer colored perceptibly and
the mountain boy stopped short in speech
and his pallid face flushed with unmistakable
shame. Then he went on: ``He had
liquered up,'' he said, ``and had got tight
afore he knowed it and he didn't mean
no harm and had never been arrested
afore in his whole life.''

``Have you ever been drunk before?''
asked the prosecuting attorney severely.
The lad looked surprised.

``Co'se I have, but I ain't goin' to agin
--leastwise not in this here town.'' There
was a general laugh at this and the aged
mayor rapped loudly.

``That will do,'' said the attorney.

The lad stepped down, hitched his chair
slightly so that his back was to the Blight,
sank down in it until his head rested on