emed but a distorted image of himself, as if (save for the dull and
reddened eyes) he had been made of yellowish wax and had been left too
long in the sun. Abject, hopeless, his attitude a confession of ruin
and shame, he stood before his judges in such wretchedness that, in
comparison, the figure of Happy Fear, facing the court-room through his
darkest hour, was one to be envied.

"Well," he said, brokenly, "what are you going to do?"

Joe Louden looked at him with great intentness for several moments.
Then he rose and came forward. "Sit down, Judge," he said. "It's all
right. Don't worry."

XXV

THE JURY COMES IN

Mrs. Flitcroft, at breakfast on the following morning, continued a
disquisition which had ceased, the previous night, only because of a
provoking human incapacity to exist without sleep. Her theme was one
which had exclusively occupied her since the passing of Eskew, and, her
rheumatism having improved so that she could leave her chair, she had
become a sort of walking serial; Norbert and his grandfather being well
assured that, whenever they left the house, the same story was to be
continued upon their reappearance. The Tocsin had been her great
comfort: she was but one helpless woman against two strong men;
therefore she sorely needed assistance in her attack upon them, and the
invaluable newspaper gave it in generous measure.

"Yes, young man," she said, as she lifted her first spoonful of
oatmeal, "you BETTER read the Tocsin!"

"I AM reading it," responded Norbert, who was almost concealed by the
paper.

"And your grandfather better read it!" she continued, severely.

"I already have," said the Colonel, promptly. "Have you?"

"No, but you can be sure I will!" The good lady gave the effect of
tossing her head. "And you better take what it says to heart, you and
some others. It's a wonder to me that you and Buckalew and old Peter
don't go and hold that Happy Fear's hand durin' the trial! And as for
Joe Louden, his step-mother's own sister, Jane, says to me only
yesterday afternoon, 'Why, law! Mrs. Flitcroft,' she says, 'it's a
wonder to me,' she says, 'that your husband and those two other old
fools don't lay down in the gutter and let that Joe Louden walk over
'em.'"

"Did Jane Quimby say 'those two other old fools'?" inquired the
Colonel, in a manner which indicated that he might see Mr. Quimby in
regard to the slander.

"I can't say as I remember just precisely her exact wo