PROOFS
Ira Hasbrook took no notice of the tribute paid him by the mother and
daughter and father who clustered about him evidently not in the least
afraid of the gun now that it was in his hands. Even Mr. Martin
contemplated it without a quiver. Upon the library table lay one
cartridge. The other had done its good turn.
“Yer see this here is one of them repeaters,” said Ira. “’Tain’t goin’
ter hurt yer. Yer see these here two cartridges I got in my pocket? They
come outer the deer. They ain’t the same size, yer see? Two guns. The
one I jes took out matches that there little one outer my pocket. This
here big one came outer another gun—that ain’t no repeater. Now looka
here, here’s what tells the story—the gol blamed little rascal of a
double barrel prince! Looka here—feel on the end of that barrel. Powder.
“Feel, mister, ’twon’t bite yer. Yer know what that means? That means
yer a proud father. I wasn’t gone ter shake hands with yer, but gol
blame it, I think I will! Feel it! Smell it! Powder, all right. That
means your boy was—about—gol, that toy o’ his wasn’t six inches from
that there deer when he shot it in the head.” He scrutinized and felt of
something near the end of the barrel. “Blood even! See that; that’s a
hair! I knowed I’d ketch the little rascal. _Mister, that boy o’ yours
shot that animal ter put it outer its suffering._”
There was a moment’s pause as they clustered about Ira where he stood
near the library table squinting curiously at the end of the barrel and
gingerly examining it with one finger. And only one sound broke the
silence; that was when an almost inaudible “_oh_” of astonishment and
admiration escaped from Doris. “It’s wonderful,” she said more clearly
after a pause.
“Be sure yer sins’ll find yer out, as the feller says,” drawled Ira.
“If it hadn’t been for you——” Mrs. Martin began.
“All right, mister,” Ira laughed, “yer don’t need ter be scared of her,
she’s empty. The only thing’s goner do any damage now is me. I’m goner
shoot up th’ Rotary Club. Now where’s this here meetin’ anyway? I’m
a-goner look it over.”