He seemed in earnest when he spoke--but that was his way; it had done him
service often. "I do good whenever it comes my way to do it," he
continued. "I left my work this morning"--he lied of course--"and hired
a buggy to bring me over here, all at my own cost, to save a fellow-man.
There in the Court House he was sure of prison, with a wife and three
small children weeping in 'The Red Eagle'; and there I come at great
expense and trouble to tell the truth--before all to tell the truth--and
save him and set him free. Yonder he is in the tavern, the work of my
hands, a gift to the world from an honest man with a good heart and a
sense of justice. But for me there would be a wife and three children in
the bondage of shame, sorrow, poverty and misery"--his eyes again
ravished the brown eyes of Palass Poucette's widow--"and here again
I drink to my own health and to that of all good people--with charity
to all and malice towards none!"
The little bottle of golden cordial was raised towards Mere Langlois.
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