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 it is my right to be informed, and thy duty to tell me all thee knows."

"What!" exclaimed Robert, jumping from his chair and turning his back to the fireplace. "Tell all that I could? Well, if I did that, the township would be all upset for the season. You came here and asked me a long string of questions, not waiting for answers, and I replied in the same order, as near as I could remember. What question did you put that I forgot to reply to?" And Robert replaced his pipe and sent more wreaths of smoke to the ceiling.

"Does thee know where Ruth is, and who did she go away with? Can thee answer these, and will thee?"

"I can," replied Robert; "but for the present I shall not."

"But it is my right to know," exclaimed Matthew, also rising from his chair. "This is a conspiracy that may bring thee great trouble if thee is not very careful."

"Perhaps it is, Neighbor Watson; you say it is your right to know as much as I do