Coniston, Complete

e nasal Mr. Samuel Price driving silently in the other direction. The word "silently" is used deliberately, because to Mr. Price appertaine

ry back if I

y n

eaned out o

rom Clovelly to spy a

nner that he regarded the storekee

hia, as Wetherell stood staring afte

ea, Cynthia," answered her

know who

father, "and

of his own. But how shall we chronicle Bijah's rank and precedence in the Jethro army, in which there are neither shoulder-straps nor annual registers? To designate him as the Chamberlain of that hill Rajah, the Honorable Heth Sutton, would not be far out of the way. The Honorable Heth, whom we all know and whom we shall see presently, is th

ten, and four and twenty, for certain considerations. The ancient Song of Sixpence applies to Bijah, but his pocket was generally full of proxies instead of ry

losest resemblance to those of Jethro Bass. When he walked behind Jethro in the corridors of the Pelican, kicking up his heels behind, he might have been taken for Jethr

ins and others were watching him with various emotions from the stoop, and Bijah took a seat in the midst of them, chara

git for your wool,

talk about wool, Bije," sa

the farm lately, I h

much I was neglectin' it," retorted Che

you? Thinkin' of upsettin' Jethro?

got nothin' to do with i

campaignin', Chest

aignin' when we

looked

ould have took oath I se

s a deep

tended astonishment, "wahn't he settin'

er, who was unable to retort. Moses Hatch laughed. The discree

ious as ever, Mos

times," said Mose

ys with their backs up

tell that to Jethro Bass when you go back, if he's got t

d Moses, with a view to drawing Bijah out. But the remark had exactly the opposite effe

it out of it, Bije?

face screwed up tighter than ever. "N-never look throu

ke an effective departure or else to remain and compel the other man to make an ineffective departure. Lem Hallowell might have coped with him; but the stage was late, and after

e, and to take his mind from his troubles, he picked up a copy of Byron: gradually the conversation on the stoop died away, and just as he was beginning to congratulate himself and enjoy the book, he had an unpleasant sensation of some one approaching him measuredly. Wetherel

ell, ha

m nodded

see you a

t is

rivate?" asked Mr. B

Wetherell answered. "Wh

git suspicious-you understand," he confided, his mann

politics," said Wet

I set eyes on you. Made up my mind I'd have a little talk in private with you-you understa

what

no attention to

on

hea

s I can't

y! You h

u I couldn

t to see such an intelligent man go wrong an' be sorry for it-you understa

Bix

k caressingly, and started for the door-the back door. Involuntarily Wetherell put his hand to his pocke

ght that Mr. Bixby, turned around. Wet

me," said Bijah

ell, so loudly that Bijah started a

rekeeper with such amazing innocence that he began to doub

erplexedly. And then, gaining, indignation, "Take th

etherell stood for a moment, dazed by the man's audacity, and then, hurrying to the front stoop, the money still in

om the garden, "where did you get all th

hen, quivering with anger and mortification, he s

lse's?" asked the

es

you give it back

fastened on Bijah seated comfortably in the midst of the group there. Bitterly the storekeeper comprehended that, had he possessed courage, he would have marched straight after Mr. Bixby and confronted him before them all with the charge of

that man over the

es

im, Daddy," and sh

elope to "Mr. Bijah Bixby of Clovelly," and gave it to Cynthia. "When he comes back for his wagon, hand

; and so deftly did Bijah slip it into his pocket, that he must certainly have mi

ere quite sure that Bijah was climbing the notch road toward Clovelly. The discussion (from which the storekeeper was providentially omitted) was in ful

catter like a flock of crows. I'm tired of makin' complaints about that Brampton road, and to-day the hull side

u a-goin' t

o Bass, Chairman of the Selectmen. I've spoke to him, time and agin, about that piece, and he hain't done nothin'. To-

ths, and then the awe-stricken hush which followed his declaration

" he cried; "I'll go

id Lem, "you'll sta

redit for the move," su

ted Chester. "What made you s

indignantly, through his nose; "

ch up your hoss and fetch me over to Harwich to git t

could, Lem, but my

hter, during which Sam t

over," said Lem, soberl

cutt, "slid out the door wh

em; "my horses ain't fit to travel to-night." Another silence followed, and Lem laughed c

white hoss, Lem,"

'll come round and hitch

therell's household-were seated at supper in the little kitchen behind the store, the head and shoulders of the stage-driver

o Harwich, Wi

his cup do

nued. "Most folks that hasn't went We

d of him, and I'm

and giving a tug to the pigtail that hung down

d Cynthia; "he's

m, Cynthy," said

dy,

ly he found himself jogging along on the mountain road to Harwich. From the crest of Town's End ridge they looked upon the western peaks tossing beneath a golden sky. The spell of t

. There's no mite of use of your gettin' mix

exclaimed th

actful attempt to cover up a deficiency;

could be so care-free on such a mission. The day faded, and went out, and the lights of Harwich twinkled in the valley. Wetherell was almost

e capital, and give him fair warning afore he went. He knows I hain't doin' of it for politics. I've often thought," Lem continued,

ou room

d made him look at things a little mite different, he would have b'en a big man. He has all the earmar

on't t

think

the mortgages of some o

did git tired and sell Chester out soon.

seem to frighten you,

f me, I can't help likin' him, though he does things that I wouldn't

s of light in the shutters, came the sound of voices, Lem's deep and insistent, and another, pitched in a high nasal key, deprecatory and protesting. There was still another, a harsh one that growled something unintelligible, and Wetherell guessed, from the fragments which he hea

f of Truro County, and I guess the jedge don't need any recommendation as a lawyer from me. You won't mi

Parkinson immediately took his cue, probably through a fear that Wetherell might begin on the subject of Lemuel's errand. However, it instantly became plain that the judge was a true book lover, and despite the fact that Lem's visit had disturbed him not a little, he soon grew anima

Jethr

coat tails, and sat down in the judge's armchair. The judge dropped the volume of Scott on the desk, and as for Wetherell, he realized for once the full meaning

e?" said Jethro. "D-

al," said the judge, reclaimin

ht so," answered Jethr

ily, and was not a little ruffled because Wetherell had been a witness of his discomfiture. He leaned back in his chair, then lea

Legislature?" in

common," s

ishment was to precede his. It had been one of the delights of Louis XI to contemplate the movements of a certain churchman whom he had had put in a cage, and some inkli

" began the judge, at last, "that I

us, Judge?"

ot seem astonished at the miracle which had put Jethro in possession of this informatio

back and talk it over friendly, but he wouldn't listen; said the road was dangerous

ro, "didn't come in to complain. Road i

"the court has got to appoint an agent to repair that road, the agent will present the bill, and the tow

ve got to app

I'm s

u app'in

N

any can

scratche

on't know

, hav

aid the

on to my bein' app'i

sped. But the look was an invo

on't know as there is, Jethro. No,

nd of objection

appeared t

d at last, "I don'

ere?" said J

ty of a decision. A smile seemed to b

candidate,"

at you want me to appoint y

a can

e judge, rising

d Jethro, s

rs over to you with

right away, Judge. R

the papers over t

ke to make out that a

take but a

it," sai

ntment along with you to-night

that's

s table, and for a while the silence was

roads,-Will,-int

o listen, since it was now

nswered Mr. Wetherell

he drive-c-come ov

the storekeeper

ynthy?" sa

step in the doorway, and Lem Hallowell entered the room. He took one long look

l, I got ahead of ye for once, but you can't say I didn't warn ye. Come purty nigh

e agent?" s

ill, there, only he don't seem

d the judge, holding out

?" ejacu

intment, and put it

?" demanded the a

d to any one he walked out into the night, and after various excla

and many times on their drive homeward he burst into loud and unexpected fits of laughter a

his to a soul. We'll have some fun

unpleasant presentiment that he himsel

ew you were going to indict the to

ughter; but this was something w