CHAPTER XLII.

HAROLD AND THE DIAMONDS.

When Harold sprang upon the train as it was moving from the station and entered the rear car, he found old Peterkin near the door, button-holing Judge St. Claire, to whom he was talking loudly and angrily of that infernal cheat, Wilson, who had brought the suit against him.

‘Yes, yes, I see; I know; but all that will come out on the trial,’ the judge said, trying to silence him.

But Peterkin held on, until his eye caught Harold, when he let the judge go, and seating himself beside the young man began in a soft, coaxing tone for him: 

‘I don’t see why in thunder you are goin’ agin me, who have allus been your friend, and gin you work when you couldn’t git it any where else; and I can’t imagine what you’re goin’ to say, or what you know.’

Harold’s face was very red, but his manner was respectful as he replied: 

’You cannot be more sorry than I am that I am subpoenaed as a witness against you.  I did not seek it.  I could not help it:  but, being a witness, I must answer the questions truthfully.’

‘Thunder and lightning, man!  Of course you must!  Don’t I know that?’ the irascible Peterkin growled, getting angry at once.  ’Of course you must answer questions, but you needn’t blab out stuff they don’t ask you, so as to lead ’em on.  I know ’em, the blood-hounds; they’ll squeeze you dry, once let ’em git an inklin’ you know sunthin’ more.  Now, if this goes agin me, I’m out at least thirty thousand dollars; and between you and I, I don’t mind givin’ a cool two thousand, or three, or mebby five, right out of pocket, cash down, to anybody whose testimony, without bein’ a lie—­I don’t want nobody to swear false, remember—­but, heaven and earth, can’t a body furgit a little, and keep back a lot if they want to?’ ‘What are you trying to say to me?’ Harold asked, his face pale with resentment, as he suspected the man’s motive.

‘Say to you?  Nothin’, only that I’ll give five thousand dollars down to the chap whose testimony gits me off and flings old Wilson.’

‘Mr. Peterkin,’ Harold said, looking the old wretch full in the face, ’if you are trying to bribe me, let me tell you at once that I am not to be bought.  I shall not volunteer information, but shall answer truthfully whatever is asked me.’

‘Go to thunder, then!  I always knew you were a bad aig,’ Peterkin roared; and as there was nothing to be made from Harold, he changed his seat to try his tactics elsewhere.

Left to himself, Harold had time to think of the diamonds, which, indeed, had not been absent from his thoughts a moment, since Jerrie gave them to him.  They were closely buttoned in his coat pocket, where they burned like fire, as he wondered where and how Jerrie had found them.

‘In the Tramp House it must have been,’ he said to himself; ’but who put them there, and how did she chance to find them, and why did she look so wild and excited, so like a crazy person, when she gave them to me, bidding me let no one see them?’