"Ahem! We don't know how strongly the young man's been tempted," said
Mr. Day doggedly.
"Uncle!" cried Janice, aghast.
"Dad!" exclaimed Marty.
"Jase Day! For the land's sake!" concluded Aunt 'Mira.
"Sit down and eat your dinner, Janice," said Uncle Jason a second time, ignoring his wife and son. "Remember, I got a duty to perform to your father as well as to you. What would Broxton Day do in this case?"
"I—I don't know, Uncle Jason," Janice said faintly.
"Fust of all, he wouldn't let you git mixed up in nothin' that would make the neighbors talk about ye," Mr. Day said promptly. "Now, whether Nelson Haley is innercent or guilty, there is bound ter be slathers of talk about this thing and about ev'rybody connected with it."
"He is not guilty, Uncle," said Janice, quietly.
"That's my opinion, too," said Mr. Day, bluntly. "But I want the pertic'lars, jest the same. I want to know all about it. Where there's so much smoke there must be some fire."
"Not allus, Dad," growled Marty, in disgust. "Smoke comes from an oak-ball, but there ain't no fire."