"On my Jem!" said the enraged mother. "You're a downright liar, and
that's what you are. My Jem, as never did harm to any one in his
life. You're a liar, that's what you are."

"He's done harm enough now," said the man, angry in his turn, "for
there's good evidence he murdered young Carson, as was shot last
night."

She staggered forward to strike the man for telling the terrible
truth; but the weakness of old age, of motherly agony, overcame her,
and she sank down on a chair, and covered her face. He could not
leave her.

When next she spoke, it was in an imploring, feeble, child-like
voice.

"O master, say you're only joking. I ax your pardon if I have vexed
ye, but please say you're only joking. You don't know what Jem is
to me."

She looked humbly, anxiously up to him.

"I wish I were only joking, missis; but it's true as I say. They've
taken him up on charge of murder. It were his gun as were found
near th' place; and one o' the police heard him quarrelling with Mr.
Carson a few days back, about a girl."

"About a girl!" broke in the mother, once more indignant, though too
feeble to show it as before. "My Jem was as steady as"--she