his shoulders, and walked
over and picked up his hat.

"It might have been worse," he said, coming back, as Mr. Ingraham
and the man who had held Sylvie's pony took the latter out of the
shafts and led him to a post to fasten him, and then proceeded
together, as well as they could, to lift the disabled phaeton and
roll it over to the blacksmith's shop to be set right.

"You'll be all straight directly," he said, "and I'm only thankful
you're not much hurt. But I _am_ in a mess. Whew! What the old
gentleman will say if Duke don't come out of it comfortable, is
something I'd rather not look ahead to. I must go on and see. I'll
be back again, and if there's anything--anything _more_," he added
with a droll twinkle, "that I can do for you, I shall be happy, and
will try to do it a little better."

The feminine Ingrahams were all around Sylvie by this time: Mrs.
Ingraham, and Ray, and Dot. They bemoaned and exclaimed, and were
"thankful she'd come off as she had;" and "she'd better step right
in and come up-stairs." The village boys were crowding round,--all
those who had not been in time to run after the "smash,"--and Sylvie
gladly withdrew to the offered shelter. Rod Sherrett gave his hair a
toss or two with his hands, struck the dust off his wide-awake, put
it on, and walked off down the hill, through the staring and
admiring crowd.

CHAPTER II.

UP-STAIRS.

The two Ingraham girls had been sitting in their own room over the
shop when the accident occurred, and it was there they now took
Sylvie Argenter, to have her dress tacked together again, and to
wash her face and hands and settle her hair and hat. Mrs. Ingraham
came bustling after with "arnicky" for the bruised arm. They were
all very delighted and important, having the great Mr. Argenter's
daughter quite to themselves in the intimacy of "up-stairs," to wait
upon and take care of. Mrs. Ingraham fussed and "my-deared" a good
deal; her daughters took it with more outward calmness. Although
baker's daughters, they belonged to the present youthful generation,
born to best education at the public schools, sewing-machines, and
universal double-skirted full-fashions; and had read novels of
society out of the Roxeter town library.

There was a good deal of time after the bathing and mending and
re-arranging were all done. The axle of the phaeton had been split,
and must be temporarily patched up and banded. There was nothing for
Sylvie to do but to sit qui