s still

"I don't see how the deed would be of any

d threaten to notify George Warren, if Joseph didn't pay him a good round sum of money. Mind you

ef or a blackmailer, whatever Mr. Peabody chooses to think. That deed is proba

hat he's bought the Warren lots. But I guess it would have been better to have had the deed rec

was fully aware of her intention to leave, but, as her board was paid for nearly a week in advance, he could ma

, having waited till Ethan had gone to the barn to milk. "What time would b

Don't know exactly when I shall be going over again, either. Ethan an

one will have to take my trunk. You met me at the station when I came, or rather Bob d

't care how you get to the station, but none of my rigs go off this place to-morrow, that's flat. And you

owing the girl to the door after the meal was over. "You're not going

not to Glenside, to Hagar's Corners, where I can get some kind of train for the Junction. All the through train

hout entering into too detailed an account of Mr. Peabody's shortcomings. Indeed, the Kepplers, father and sons,

r heartily. "Any time you say, Betty. There's a good train for

ten, and Betty walked home filled with thoughts of the li

my temper often, considering," she mused. "Is that something sticking out of the mail box

her it was the _Pineville Post_, to which she had subscribed when she left the town, and, tuckin

trunk mechanically. She had left it locked, but the lid

aking a hasty examination. "How did he da

sly, her shoes rested on her clean handkerchiefs, and it was plain that no attempt had been

Whatever he opened it with, nothing is broken. I suppose the only thing to do is to take everyt

was completed and the trunk locked for a second time. With the feeling that, in view of what the next day might bring, she ough

" she thought, picking it up and slitting

e first words that caught her attention, in la

STRICKEN WI

OWN QUA

ed on the outskirts of Pineville, of the diagnosis of smallpox, and of the strict

ere. I might be held up for weeks. I can't stay here, that's certain. There's nothing to do but dri

r traveling schedule, fearing that if Mr. Peabody heard she was going to Washingt

hing to say good-by to, for she felt more pity than affection for Mrs. Peabody, and the Bramble Farm animals had been too unused to petting to respond readily t

r plans and stalked off as usual to the bar

d Mrs. Peabody once, in the middle of the dis

And when Fred Keppler drove into the yard, promptly at half-past ten, and went upstairs for her trunk-for

ally. "Got a nice day for your trip, h

he horse's head when, apparently from the

rawled. "I have an errand over at the station, and it won't take me a minute. I can come right

pleasantly. He was saving his own horse a long drive and getting a necessary errand d

but fifteen-year-old Fred did not know how to deal with such a display of assurance. The

ng to Washington. She knew that after the noon train at Hagar's Corners there were no more till four o'clock. She wanted to say good-by to the

etty and her trunk were put down, and then she had a few minutes to speak to Fred while Mr. Peabody w

red Fred hurriedly. "Mother told me

o her hands a

ou suppose? It's for fifty dollars. And, Fred, Pineville is quarantined for smallpox and I

d the agent stopped in the station doorway to continue their discussion he pr

o him. Give me the check and it will be all right. And you ask Dan Gowdy, the agent, about

y warmly, shaking his hand. "I don't know