born, was to
him as a shell of defence and decency, and these men had had a
glimpse of him outside it. He was horribly ashamed. "S'pose they
think I'm crazy," he reflected.

"Want to stop the star shining?" repeated John Jennings. "Well, you
can."

Jerome, in astonishment, forgot his shame, and looked up into the
man's beautiful, cavernous eyes.

"I'll tell you how. Don't look at it. I've stopped nearly all the
stars I've ever seen that way." John Jennings's voice seemed to melt
into infinite sadness and sweetness, like a song. The other men
chuckled but feebly, as if scarcely knowing whether it were a jest or
not. John Jennings took his hand from Jerome's shoulder, tossed the
wing of his cloak higher over his face, and went on with his friends.
However, when fairly on his way, he turned and called back, with a
soft laugh, "I would let the star shine, though, if I were you, boy."

"Who was the boy?" Colonel Lamson asked the lawyer, as the three men
proceeded.

"The Edwards boy."

"Well," said John Jennings, "'tis an unlucky devil he is, call him
what you will, for he's born to feel the hammer of Thor on his soul
as well as his flesh, and it is double pain for all such."

Jerome stood staring after John Jennings and his friends a moment; he
had not the least conception what it all meant; then he proceeded at
a good pace, arguing that the sooner he got home and told his mother
and had it over, the better.

But he had not gone far before he saw some one else coming, a
strange, nondescript figure, with outlines paled and blurred in the
moonlight, looking as if it bore its own gigantic and heavy head
before it in outstretched arms. Soon he saw it was his uncle Ozias
Lamb, laden with bundles of shoes about his shoulders, bending
forward under their weight.

Ozias halted when he reached Jerome. "Hullo!" said he; "that you?"

"Yes, sir," Jerome replied, deferentially. He had respect for his
uncle Ozias.

"Where you goin'?"

"Home."

"'Ain't you been to Robinson's for shoes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Where be they, then?"

Jerome told him.

"I ain't surprised. I knew what 'twould be when I heard you'd fit
'Lisha," said Ozias. "You hit my calf, you hit me. It's natur'."
Ozias gave a cynical chuckle; he shifted his load of shoes to ease
his right shoulder. "'Lisha's big as two of you," he said. "How'd ye
work it to fling him? Twist your leg under his, eh?"

Jerome nodded.

"That's a good trick. I larnt that wh