496

LIFTS ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

and I seemed to know how a person feels who hears his death son-
tence pronounced from the bench. I waited to hear what my brotbet
would say next. I believed I knew what it would be, and I was
right. He said—
* I know the boy.'

I had nothing to say ; so I said nothing. I simply shuddered
Then he added—

' Yes, before you got half through telling about the thing, I knew
perfectly well who the boy was; it was Ben Coontz !'

I came out of my collapse as one who rises from the. dead. I gaii
with admiration—

'Why, how in
the world did yoa
ever guess it ?'

< You told it in
your sleep/

I said to myself,
e How splendid tbafe
is ! This is a habit
which must be culti
vated.'

My brother rai-
tled innocently on—
* When you were
talking inyoursle%
MY BURDEN is LIFTED. you kept mumbling

something abo*&

" matches/* which I couldn't make anything out of; but jnst now,
when, you began to tell me about the man and the calaboose and &©
matches, I remembered that in your sleep you mentioned Ben Coonfe
two or three times; so I put this and that together, you see, and rigfel
away I knew it was Ben that burnt that man up.'

I praised his sagacity effusively. Presently he asked—

* Are you going to give "him, up to the law 1'

* ^"o,' I said • * I believe that this will be a lesson to him. I sbatt
keep an eye on him, of course, for that is but right; but if he stops
where he is and reforms, it shall never be said that I betrayed him**

* HOT* good you are !'