days were an interlude quite long enough in which to discuss every phase and bearing of this opening scene, and after that the play in all justice ought to move on. But there it halted-for a whi

we like on the next scene, for which Brampton had to wait considerably over a month. There is to be no villain in this drama with the face of an Abbe Maury like the seven cardinal sins. Comfortab

ft Brampton on the five

low-member of the co

asked Mr. Dodd, pull

said the jud

in' to do about i

judge, looking at the hardware

en very well defined in the two sentences he had spoken. Mr. Dodd perceived that the judge was trying to get him to

l tug at the tuft, "if that'

at?" said the

s boring holes in his back. The judge's position was very fine, no doubt for the judge. All of which te

little house and the little school, putting all the strength that was in her into her duties. The Prudential Committee, which sometimes sat on the platform, could find no fault with the performance of these duties, or with the capability of the teacher, and it is not going too far to state that the children grew to love her better than Miss Goddard had been loved. It may be declared tha

hem, when they called on the new teacher, to speak a kindly word of warning and advice; but somehow, when they were seated before her in the little sitting room of the John Billings house, their courage failed them

st of the day in his Windsor chair by the stove, pretending to read newspapers. But he did not mention this

the town meetings at hand, where the frontier fighting was to be done, and no quarter given. Lieutenants had gone to Coniston for further orders and instructions, and had come back without either. Achilles was sulking in the tannery house-some said a broken Achilles. Not a word could be got out of him, or the sign of an intention. Jake Wheeler moped through the days in Rias Richardson's store, too sore at heart to speak to any man, and could have wept if tears had been a relief to him. No more blithe errands over the mountain to Clovelly and elsewhere, though Jake knew the issue now and itched for the battle

ons people we're asking all over the state-people, at least, who were interested in politics, or in those operations which went by the name of politics: yes, and many private citizens-who had participated in politics only to the extent of voting for such candidates as Jethro in his wisdom had seen fit to give them, read the articles and began to say that boss domination was at an end. A new era was at hand, which they fondly (

peal could do so. Her happiest days in this period were the Saturdays and Sundays spent with him in Coniston, and as the weeks went by she began to believe that the change, miraculous as it seemed, had i

racery of the branches on the snow warned them of the rising moon. Jethro was often silent for hours at a time, but it seemed to Cynthia that it was the silence of peace-of a peace he had never known before. There came no newspapers to the tannery house now: du

than Brampton, and saw some reason presently for the change in Jethro Bass. Not that Mr. Satterlee told, but such evidence was bound, in the end, to speak for itself. The Newcastle Guardian had been read and debated at the store-debated with some heat by Chester Perkins and other mortgagors; discussed, nevertheless, in a political rather than a moral light. Then Cynthia had r

ays to twist Jethro around her finger; that she had made him abandon his fight with Isaac D. Worthington because Mr. Worthington had a son-but there is no use writing such scandal. Stripped of his power-even though he stripped himself-Jethro began to l

years before there had been a town-meeting in Coniston and a surprise. Established Church, decent and orderly selectmen and proceedings had been toppled over that day, every outlying farm sending its representative through the sleet to do it. And now retribution was at hand. This March-meeting day was mild, the grass showing a green color on the south slopes where the snow had melted, and the outlying farmers drove through mud-holes up to the axles. Drove, albeit, in procession along the roads, grimly enough, and the sheds Jock Hallowell had built around the meeting-house could not hold the horses; they lined the fences and usurped the hitching posts of the village stree

ving with unseemly haste toward Brampton, where in due time he arrived. Half an hour later there was excitement at Newcastle

ned in Coniston-discre

r the opinion and regard of the world he had never cared. A greater reward awaited him, greater than any knew-the opinion and regard and the praise of one whom he loved beyond all the world. On Friday she came to him, on Friday at sunset, for the days were growing longer, and that was the happiest sunset of his life. She said nothing as she raised her face to his and kissed him and clung to him in the little parlor, but he knew, and he had his reward. So much for earthly power Cynthia brought the little

k. One evening it was Jethro who laid the letter on the table beside her as she sat under the lamp. He did not look at her or speak, but she felt that he knew her secret-felt that he deserved to have from

d not confess that she kept them, every one, and read them over and over again; that she had grow

in words. Yet she had not told him for this. She had told him, much as the t

might have been Robert Worthington's wife. He sat down beside her and put his hand over hers that lay on the letter in her

ay morning, she went back to B

; and other feudal expressions of fealty were lacking. No staff flew Mr. Worthington's arms; nevertheless the lord of Brampton was in his castle again, and Brampton felt that he was there. He arrived alone, wearing the silk hat which had become habitual with him now, and stepping into his barouche at the station had been driven up Brampton

Mr. Flint's advice; and, within the last three months, Mr. Flint had invaded the realm of politics, quietly, as such a man would, under the cover of his patron's name and glory. Mr. Flint it was who had bought the Newcastle Guardian, who went occasionally to Newcastle and spoke a few effective words now and then to the editor; and, if the truth will out, Mr. Flint had largely conceived that scheme about the railroads which was to set Mr. Worthington on the throne of the state, although the scheme was not now being carried out according to Mr. Flint's wishes. Mr. Flint was,

ge seated himself

dkerchief Mr. Flint had brought him. "I lose patience when I think how long we've stood the rascal in

swer this. He might

edy, and only requiring a little courage and-and-" (Mr. Worthington was going to say mo

said Mr. Flint; "that wou

id: the time was ripe, just publish a few biographical articles telling people what he was, and Jethro Bass would snuff out like a candle. Mr. Duncan tells me the

Flint, "You can hitch that kind of a ho

compared to what we'll get for it." He laughed a little and rubbed his hands, and then he remembered that capacity in which he stood before the world. Yes, and he stood before himself in the same ca

nt; "I will show you the account in a little while. The expenses in Coniston were

cost as much to carry Coniston as Newcastle, it wo

bulging pockets going about the hills, and smiled at t

ews, F

pile, placed there by Mr. Flint himself, who had examined Mr. Worthington's face closely when he came in to see how much he might know of its contents. He had decided that Mr. Worthington was in too good a humor to know anything

character and attainments: after which he stated that Cynthia had refused him-twice, because she believed that Mr. Worthington would oppose the marriage, and had declared that she would never be the cause of a breach between father and son. Bob asked for his father's consent, and hoped to have it, but he thought it only right to add that he had given his word and his love, and did not mean to retract either. He spoke of his visit to B

shed it, and his face grew a dark red. Then he seized

name, too, had been Cynthia.-He was thinking, in fact, for he was a man to think in anger, whether it were not possible to remove this Cynthia from the face of the ea

profane indeed as he fixed his eyes upon Mr. Fli

nt, "the whole

Why was I not warned of this? Have I no friends? Do you pretend to look

ave prevented it?" aske

ampton and teach school in a place where she

mittee appointed her, no

orthi

g, what are they doing to allow her

cent town-meeting. Mr. Errol, who had also been reelected, had return

at once," commanded Mr. Worthin

had discovered, shrewdly enough, that she was the kind which might be led, but not driven. If Mr. Flint's advice had been listened to, this story might have had quite a different ending. But Mr. Flin

see you, si

uted Mr. Worthingt

t now he was thoroughly frightened. He had seen the great man in the barouche as he drove past the hardware store, and he had made up his mind t

ton, a great pleasure, to see you back,

is chair, and made no atte

ught you were my

ll to pieces at

on-so I be," he cried.

ours ever since I can r

my hand off than had t

hat she was, she'd neve

y name's

look at the seneschal's face, he woul

thington, rising and smiting the pile of letters o

up the letters, which h

was now in the ful

," he shouted; "tell me

e what steps you'd like taken

professed ward of Jethro Bass-of Jethro Bass, the most notoriously depraved man in this stat

uld have gone on to exculpate himself, but Mr. Worth

leman, "and if you have any regard for the fa

ont of him, now behind him, in his agony: repeating now and again various appellations which need not be

t of Brampton,"

een watching him apparently unmoved, "

th a laugh that was not pleasant to hear,

were absolutely necessary. He had reversed the usual order, and had been in the fire-now he was going to the frying-pan. He stood in the street for some time, pulling at his tuft, and then made

aid Mr. Dodd,

" inquired Mr

well of nights, lately. I can't think what we was about, Jonathan, pu

er with her?" in

aimed his fellow-commit

ss-she's

f about gossip or newspapers, or indeed about anything not b

notorious, depraved man in the state. Hain't we

hed and clos

through with that. Let's go up and s

minds what we're goin' to do, first. We can't allow no notorious people in our schools. We've g

ink we ever had a better teacher. She's quiet, a

his tuft, and

ds a note of yours,

said he thought perha

s we might as well go along up

mid that he had to repeat it before the judge came

aken by surprise many times during the last forty years. Mr. Dodd explained that they wished a little meeti

Mr. Hill. Mr. Worthington is a political opponent of Jethro Bass, and wishes Miss Wetherell dismissed. Mr. Dodd and Mr. Hill have agreed

mfortable fellow-members. Mr. Hill did not attempt to speak; but Mr. Dodd, who was not sure now t

say I'm a mite surprised. I must

ver unwarranted,

name of Brampton," began M

here is no need of prolonging this meeting. If I were to waste my breath until six o'clock, it would be no use. I was about to say that your

me, Jedge," said Mr

or no to that question," said t

re agreed that she hadn't ought to stay. No

no certificate has been issued. But I tell you this, gentlemen, that you will live to see the day when you will bitterly regret this inju

y r

ain, "I don't think you've

terable scorn. "Good day, gentlemen."

reet some distance befo

e drattedest temper of any man I ever knew, and he never callates to make a

've done it," an

now far enough away from the judge's house to speak in

l, with an astonishing

ard that

, swallowed the wrong

Jonathan?" he said, w

Mr. Hill, sadly; "but

n to choke again. It was the first tim

ick by what you agree

butter," said Mr. Hill, "not by my p

n his head. After a few moments, however, he had collected himself sufficiently to move on once more, when he discovered that he was repeating to himself, quite unconsciously, Mr. Hill's profanity "I wish to hell I wasn't." The iron mastiffs glaring at him angrily out of the snow banks reminded him that he wa

d, "called the committee, and we voted to discharge the-the

to follow him in order to hear, "I'm glad you've come to your senses at last. Kindly st

hin. He watched the great man turn in at his ban

n fairly straight-there were enough clews, certainly. The great man's return, the visit of Mr. Dodd, the call on Judge Graves, all had been marked. The fiat of the first ci

hand, and she talked and laughed with them as she came up the street in the eyes of Brampton,-came up the street to the block of new buildings where the bank was. Stepping out of the bank, with that businesslike alertness which characterized him, was the first citizen-none other. He found himself entangled among the romping children and-horror of horrors he bumped into the schoolmistress herself! Worse than this, he had taken off his hat and begged her pa

s. His first sensation had been astonishment. And now, in spite of his bitter anger, he had to acknowledge that the face had made an impression on him-a fact that only

's isolation alone deterred her from asking Miss Lucretia Penniman for a position in Boston. For she wrote to Miss Lucretia about her life and her reading, as that lady had made her promise to do. She sat down now at the cherry chest of drawers that was also a desk, to write: not to pour

. Graves as one of her few friends in Brampton. "I have

ing room. His face was very stern, but his eyes, which had flung fire a

woman "my dear,"-"I have bad news for you. The committee have d

e tears which would come, "I have tried so hard. I

the judge, startling h

state can fill it

ismissed?" she a

nd it hard to tell the truth. And yet he had come to tell it, that she might suffe

gs and cowards." Mr. Graves never minced matters when he began, and his voice shook with passion. "If Mr. Errol had examined yo

nthia. The word always s

t the sight of her suffering. "That man's tyranny is not to be borne. We will not give up, Cy

ght that his father, too, who was fighting Jethro Bass as a righteous man, dealt in mortgages and coerced m

iston to-night,"

in his excitement, "no. Do you think that I

udge G

l to-morrow-indeed, you cannot. But stay here for a day or two at least, and if there i

k it," said Cynthia. "I wi

h firmer. He glanced at her quickly, with

he said, and with this somewhat surprisin

se he was Bob's father. She realized, now, that Bob knew these things, and she respected and loved him the more, if that were possible, because he had refrained from speaking of them to her. And now another thought came, and though she put it resolutely from her, persisted. Was she not justified now in marrying him? The

ion. Now she would not leave Brampton in disgrace, when she had done nothing to merit it. Not that she believed that the judge would prevail against such mighty odds. So little did she think so that she fell, presently, into a despondency which in all her troubles h

hich she did with dignity, saying that she believed the committee had no fault to find with her duties, but th

in. Then she put on her coat, and walked to the postoffice to post the letter, for she resolved that there could be no shame without reason for it. There was a little more color in her cheeks, and she held her head high, p