f putting them into words and
intoxicating herself by the sound of them.

"Come after me if you will, father, and watch the welcome I shall get.
Oh! I have no fear of being turned out by Ivory Boynton. I can hardly
wait to give him the joy I shall be bringing! It 's selfish to rob him
of the chance to speak first, but I'll do it!" And before Deacon Baxter
could cross the room, Waitstill was out of the kitchen door into the
shed, and flying down Town-House Hill like an arrow shot free from the
bow.

The Deacon followed close behind, hardly knowing why, but he was no
match for the girl, and at last he stood helpless on the steps of the
shed, shaking his fist and hurling terrible words after her, words that
it was fortunate for her peace of mind she could not hear.

"A curse upon you both!" he cried savagely. "Not satisfied with
disobeyin' an' defyin' me, you've put me to shame, an' now you'll
be settin' the neighbors ag'in' me an' ruinin' my trade. If you was
freezin' in the snow I wouldn't heave a blanket to you! If you was
starvin' I wouldn't fling either of you a crust! Never shall you darken
my doors again, an' never shall you git a penny o' my money, not if I
have to throw it into the river to spite you!"

Here his breath failed, and he stumbled out into the barn whimpering
between his broken sentences like a whipped child.

"Here I am with nobody to milk, nor feed the hens; nobody to churn
to-morrow, nor do the chores; a poor, mis'able creeter, deserted by my
children, with nobody to do a hand's turn 'thout bein' paid for every
step they take! I'll give 'em what they deserve; I don' know what, but
I'll be even with 'em yet." And the Deacon set his Baxter jaw in a way
that meant his determination to stop at nothing.

XXXI. SENTRY DUTY

IVORY BOYNTON drove home from the woods that same afternoon by way of
the bridge, in order to buy some provisions at the brick store. When he
was still a long distance from the bars that divided the lane from
the highroad, he espied a dark-clad little speck he knew to be
Rodman leaning over the fence, waiting and longing as usual for his
home-coming, and his heart warmed at the thought of the boyish welcome
that never failed.

The sleigh slipped quickly over the hard-packed, shining road, and the
bells rang merrily in the clear, cold air, giving out a joyous sound
that had no echo in Ivory's breast that day. He had just had a vision
of happiness through another man's ey