kind of man that the big man wanted.

"Where are you going?" he asked Jeffrey sharply.

"Albany Law School," said Jeffrey promptly.

"Unstrap the trunk, young man. You're not going. I've got something
for you right here at home that'll teach you more than ten law
schools. Put both teams into the barn," the big man commanded loudly.

Jeffrey stood still a moment, as though he would oppose the will of
this brusque stranger. But he knew that he would not do so. In that
moment something told him that he would not go to law school; would
never go there; that his life was about to take a twist away from
everything that he had ever intended.

Mrs. Whiting broke the pause, saying simply:

"Come into the house."

In the broad, low kitchen, while Letitia Bascom poured boiling tea for
the two men, Rogers, cup in hand, stood squarely on the hearth and
explained himself. The other man, whose name does not matter, sank
into a great wooden chair at the side of the fire and seemed to be
ready to make good his threat of staying until spring.

"I represent the U. & M. railroad. We are coming up through here in
the spring. All these farms have to be given up. We have eminent
domain for this whole section," said Rogers.

"What do you mean?" asked Jeffrey. "The railroad can't run _all over_
the country."

"No. But the road will need the whole strip of hills for timber.
They'll cut off what is standing and then they'll stock the whole
country with cedar, for ties. That's all the land's good for,
anyway."

Jeffrey Whiting's mouth opened for an answer to this, but his mother's
sharp, warning glance stopped him. He understood that it was his place
to listen and learn. There would be time enough for questions and
arguments afterward.

"Now these people here won't understand what eminent domain means,"
the big man went on. "I'm going to make it clear to you, young man. I
know who you are and I know more about you than you think. I'm going
to make it clear to you and then I'm going to send you out among them
to make them see it. They wouldn't understand me and they wouldn't
believe me. You can make them see it."

"How do you know that I'll believe you?" asked Jeffrey.

"You've got brains. You don't have to _believe_. I can _show_ it to
you."

Jeffrey Whiting was a big, strong boy, well accustomed to taking
responsibilities upon himself. He had never been afraid of anything
and this perhaps had given him more than the average bo