"The first man you saw your wife with that morning; the man I ought to be helping now, instead of lyin' here."
"You don't mean to allow, Jack, ez you reckon she didn't do it?" asked Gabriel, in alarm.
"I do," said Hamlin, coolly.
"Then what did she reckon to let on by that note?" said Gabriel, with a sudden look of cunning.
"Don't know," returned Jack, "like as not, being a d—d fool, you didn't read it right! hand it over and let me see it."
Gabriel (hesitatingly): "I can't."
Hamlin: "You can't?"
Gabriel (apologetically): "I tore it up!"
Hamlin (with frightful deliberation): "you DID?"'
"I did."