It was a gun with a piece o' wood broke out o' the stock." "Is that so ?" was the brusque demand of the money-lender as he turned to me.
"Yes, sir," I answered.
"The boy lies," he snapped, and turning to my uncle added: "Yer mad 'cause I'm tryin' to make ye pay yer honest debts--ain't ye now ?" We were stunned by this quick attack.

Uncle Peabody rose suddenly and sat down again.

Mr.Grimshaw looked at him with a strange smile and a taunting devilish laugh came out of his open lips.
Uncle Peabody, keeping his temper, shook his head and calmly said: "No I ain't anything ag'in' you or Amos, but it's got to be so that a man can travel the roads o' this town without gettin' his head blowed off." Mr.Dunkelberg jumped into the breach then, saying: "I told Mr.Grimshaw that you hadn't any grudge against him or his boy and that I knew you'd do what you could to help in this matter." "Of course I'll help in any way I can," my uncle answered.

"I couldn't harm him if I tried--not if he's innocent.

All he's got to do is to prove where he was that night." "Suppose he was lost in the woods ?" Mr.Dunkelberg asked.
"The truth wouldn't harm him any," my uncle insisted.