sure
he done it,” said Byers, unequivocally.
The tanner took his pipe from his lips. “What ails ye ter say that, Andy?” he exclaimed excitedly.
Andy Byers hesitated. He mechanically passed his fingers once or twice across the blunt, curved blade of the two-handled knife.
“Ye’ll keep the secret?”
“In the sole o’ my boot,” said the tanner.
“Waal, I
knows
ez Birt stole the grant. I hev been powerful changeful, though, in my thoughts bout’n it. At fust I war glad when he war suspicioned ’bout’n it, an’ I war minded to go an’ inform on him an’ sech, ter pay him back; ’kase I held a grudge ag’in him, believin’ ez he hed dressed out that thar blackberry bush ez Mrs. Price’s harnt. An’ then I’d remember ez his mother war a widder-woman, an’ he war nothin’ but a boy, an’ boys air bound ter be gamesome an’ full o’ jokes wunst in a while, an’ I’d feel like I war bound ter furgive him ’bout the harnt. An’ then ag’in I got toler’ble oneasy fur fear the Law mought hold
me