er
gleaning wheat or picking berries; or dancing at a wedding, or singing
hymns at church; she was the same rosy, brisk and brightly smiling
creature; the same full, free and glad-hearted life; giving grace and
honor to labor; light and beauty to nature; joy and virtue to
amusements; peace and holiness to worship, and love and happiness to
home.

One day when Fabens happened to stop at the tailor's, in the village,
he thought to inquire into Frisbie's story, concerning the
handkerchief, which he would have them believe George Ludlow had
stolen. The tailor was positive in denying the truth of the whole
affair. It was false, he said, and much like many other lies they had
told.

The next time Fabens saw Troffater, he inquired if Tilly knew any evil
of George Ludlow, or if he ever warned Fairbanks and Frisbie against
him.

"They never said so much as boo, about 'im to me, nor I to them; that's
honest," said Troffater. "But I tell you, Fabens, I never thought a
great 'eal o' them scamps. I itched to give you a jog, when they come
so thick around you. You was green as a mess o' cowslops, or you'd a
seen what they was arter. I thought you'd git nipt a grain, or my name
wasn't Troffater. But I dasn't tell you what I thought on 'em. You
wouldn't a' b'lieved me, I ben such a witch with my word. I spose you
know the fellers have been heern from? They run out of all they
cabbaged here perty quick. Frisbie, they say, is jugged up in jail,
and there's better men sometimes hung than that Jock Fairbanks. I
guess some o' the gals are kindy sorry they sot their caps for 'em!
The Faddle gals, I guess, would give all their old shews, if they'd a'
kep away from the whelps. My gals is all in titters about it; and Beck
Teezle, says she, 'I wonder, says she, if Des and Luce Faddle, says
she, will feel above us now?' They couldn't git me to dew their dirty
Work, with all their ile and palaver. I bought a pitchfork on 'em,
once in hayin', and got a platter there when Josephyne was married, and
I paid 'em tew in mink skins; and that's all I had to dew with 'em.
You lost a good 'eal by 'em, didn't you, Square?"

"A thousand dollars," said Fabens. "It seemed a great sum to lose, at
first. It _was_ too much for me. But it has been a good lesson to me,
in many ways. The lesson perhaps will give me my money's worth."

"That _is_ a big _sum_ to _luse_, I swanny! I wish I had a jogged your
elbow a grain. I seen threw the cun