Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville

miles away, and the wagon road ascends the foothills every step of the distance. Finally you pass between Mount Parnassus (whoever named it that?) and Little B

ing and dashing over the rocks to force its way noisily into the lake. When it emerges again it is humble and seda

tes, still grinds wearily the scanty dole of grain fed into its hoppers and Silas Caldwell takes his tol

tore contains the postoffice and telephone booth, and is naturally the central point of interest. Seth Davis' blacksmith shop comes next; Widow Clark's Emporium for the sale of candy, stationery and cigars adjoins that; McNutt's office and dwelling combined is next, and then Thorne's Livery and Feed Stables. You must understand they are not set close together, but each has a little ground of its own. On the other side of the street is t

in Millville, for all that. There's a cross lane just beyond Pearson's, leading east

but it doesn't require a great deal to enable these simple folk to live. The tourist seldom penetrates these inaccessible foothills; the roa

ed hamlet, and it was the more welcome because anything in the

ion of a certain John Merrick, the new owner of the Wegg Farm, to spend the summer on the place. McNutt was an undersized man of about forty, with a beardless face, scraggly buff-colored hair, and eyes that were big, light blue and remarkably protruding. The s

nt destroyed his further usefulness to the extent of inducing him to abandon the farm and move into town. Here he endeavored to find something to do to eke out his meagre income; so he raised "thoroughbred Plymouth Rocks," selling eggs for hatching to the farmers; doctored sick horses and pastured them in the lot back of his barn, the rear end of which was devoted to "watermelons in season"; sold subscription books to farmers who came to the mill or the village store; wa

three years before, and his son Joe wandered south to Albany, worked his way through a technical school and th

, and the ancient couple had naturally remained there when Joe scorned his inheritance and ran away. After the sa

and storekeeper he stared at its contents in a bewil

lled Nick Thorne from

f'n me hooks an'

ames, acquired because he wore a short length

blamedest funniest communicate a man ever got! It's from

l with a bald head, who was counting matches from a shelf into the p

voice, and when he had finished it the little group s

exclaimed the blacksmith. "Looks

Corkins, the dandy of the town. "I was over t' Huntingdon las' year, 'n' see

'm sure we'd all be better off if we had a few

"But the question is, Does he know what he's runnin' up agin'

" answered th

ho had been silent until now. "Old Wegg were a sea-cap'n once, an' rich. He

stone don't pay much divvydends, tha

ell, "an' the berries allus paid the taxes an' lef

es, 'n' t

d the miller. "It's about

rick's goin' to farm, er wha

fringe of hair behind his ears. "One thing's certain boys, I

ten dollars in adva

eeper. "You can't buy a cow, an' pigs, an'

I'll strike him fer a cool fifty, an' if the feller don't pay he k

energetic little man stumped away to indi

plunged it into a panic of excitement. Peggy's hand trembled as he held out th

gasped Nick Thor

around, and examined with a su

Cotting. "He's seen more o' tha

h the hardware dealer, who answered the summons when he learned t

d of ten thousand dollars-"er more, fer that matter; fer Bob ain't tellin' his business to nobody." Hardware and implements were acknowledged to be paying merchandise, and West lent money on farm mortga

pany, the New York bankers. Good as

that's bought the Cap'n Wegg farm,

read it carefully an

e heard of one who is many times a millionaire and a power in the financia

n, his eyes bulging with a helpless

smi

blunder in employing your services in such a delicate matter. But do the best you can. Ride across to the Wegg place and look it over. Then get Taft, the carpenter, to fix up whatever is necessary. I'll sell you the lumber and nails, and you've got more money than you can probably us

Hucks?" ask

of his leaving the farm one of intense interest. Old Hucks and his patient wife had not been so much "hired help" as a part of the Wegg establishment, and it was doubtful if they had ever rec

will need servants, and Hucks is a very capable old fellow. Let that problem rest until the time comes for solutio

e counter with his usual impulsiveness. "I'll do the be

penter, the agent began to feel that his task was going to prove an easy one. He purchased a fine Jersey cow of Will Johnson, sold his own flock

d McNutt was ordered to get it unloaded and carted to the farm without delay. There were four hay-rack loads of the "truck,"

ad done the hauling, "you've got to

y wife says, g

out'n it. She'd sp

then,

ngs to rights. Peggy, that air new furniture's the rambunctionest stuff thet ever come inter these parts, an' it'll mak

e hay while the sun was shining" and absorb as much of the money placed in his hands as possible. To let "school-teacher" into this deal

e the liveryman's sorre

ick school-house stood

another. A mile away cou

hurch at Hoo

son's post, walked up the neat pe

ad-faced woman who, after som

the garden

ound," said

g them stood a slender girl in a chec

thel," said

bit one-sided. But her golden hair sparkled in the sun like a mass of spun gold, and the smile was

ge school at Troy." Young as she was, Ethel had taught school for two years, and might have a life tenure if she cared to retain the position. As he looked at her

he Cap'n Wegg farm," he a

nd looked at

d the place?

comin' down here to spend his summer vacation, he says. He

ulled from his pocket. Then she sat upon a bench and read t

ed; "but he will make no mistake in coming to thi

t down enough furniture an' truck to stock a hotel, an' I want to know

M

in cities some, an' know

re's things in the bunch

of, much less knowin'

irl l

folks coming

t some money down to pay fer what's done

cheery tone. "It will delight me to handle

turn the Huckses out, ye

rightly "Perhaps we may arrange it

he's b

nd does her work more thoroughly than many

you ki

e over tomor

me from the house. The sad faced woman ran down a pa

ily from the wooden

?" he enquired,

usual," replied the girl

razy as

bit violent; but those

him?" ventured the agent,

n no visitor since

el. See you at the f

after McNutt had driven awa

ast. "Poor, foolish Joe. I w