"He hadn't done anything wrong," protested Stumpy, warmly.
"Why should he change his name, then?" asked the ex-congressman. "For the fact that he did so appears to be well established."
"There was a reason for it," replied the landlord, "though as Stumpy says, Joel Wormbury had done nothing wrong. Joel was attacked by a man in liquor, and in self-defence he struck the assailant on the head with a bottle, and supposed that he had killed him. He left Rockhaven in a great hurry, in order to escape the consequences. He did not even go to his house before he left town, afraid, perhaps, of finding a constable there waiting for him. He went off in such a hurry, that I don't believe he thought to take his Bible with him."
The landlord bestowed a smiling glance upon Stumpy, satisfied that he had as completely demolished the Bible argument as though he had been a practised theologian.
"If my mother was only here, she could tell you all about that," said Stumpy.
"Do you think he went home for the Bible before he left?" asked Mr. Bennington.
"I know he didn't."
"Where did he get the Bible, then?" asked the landlord.
"I'll tell you; and I won't say a word that I can't prove," replied Stumpy, warmly.
"You are not among enemies, or those who are at all inclined to doubt your word, young man," added Mr. Hamilton.