"She's all right, I tell you. He ain't hurt much, either; just stunned a little, that's all."
"Maud! child!" cried the mother, as Maud appeared, followed by a bevy of girls.
"I'm all right, mother," she said, running into the trembling arms outstretched toward her; "but, oh, poor Albert!"
After the wounded man disappeared into the house the crowd dispersed. Brann went off by the way of the alley; he was not prepared to meet the questions of his accusers.
"Now, what in —— you been up to?" was the greeting of his brother, as he re-entered the shop.
"Nothing."
"Welting a man on the head with a whip-stock ain't anything, hey?"
"I didn't touch him. We was racing, and he run into the culvert."
"Hank says he saw you strike him."
"He lies! I was strikin' the horse to make him break!"