"So he made you his confidant?"
"So far as to give me an inkling of his adventures."
"And you doubtless thought it was sufficient for him to tell you. Were you the proper person for him to give his excuses to?"
"Yes, sir; the most proper person in Six Roads. I presume the rest of you would have learned the truth had you given him time."
"We propose to learn the truth and the whole truth in our own time," retorted the officer, sharply. "I would like to ask you if he didn't owe something of an apology to Mr. Meiggs and Mr. Claverton here, both of whom have a financial interest at stake in this matter?"
"Financial fiddlesticks!" exclaimed Mr. Rimmon, impulsively. "If good reputations were for sale at ten cents apiece, and they had all the privilege in the world to buy, they couldn't get enough to supply their own households."
At this thoughtless speech a murmur of indignation ran over the spectators, and the postmaster realized that he had said more than he ought.
"Excuse me, I do not wish to get mixed up in this affair; but I would like to see the boy have fair play."
"Is Mr. Warfield in town?" asked a voice from the crowd.
"He is not," replied Sheriff Brady, "but his private secretary, Mr. Jones, is here, prepared to speak for the colonel."