whereabouts of the Couriers--"now look where they be! Blowed from Dan to
Beersheby! Come on to the house and let me set down. I been standin' on
my head till I'm tired. Here, Jabez," to the blacksmith, "you tend to
that carriage, will you?"

She stalked off down the hill. The schoolmistress turning to follow her,
caught a glimpse of the "helper" doubled up with silent laughter, and
the blacksmith grinning broadly as he stooped toward the capsized sulky.

Phoebe was downcast and disappointed. She was convinced, in her own
mind, that the Honorable Atkins had some hidden motive for his espousal
of the Thomas cause. Asaph's fruitless quest in Orham had not shaken
her faith. Captain Cy had refused to seek Debby Beasley for information
concerning the Thayers, and so she, on her own responsibility, had done
so. And this was the ridiculous ending of her journey. The diary had
been a forlorn hope; now that was burned. Poor Bos'n! and poor--some one
else!

Debby marching down the hill, continued to sputter about the lost
weeklies.

"It's an everlastin' shame!" she declared. "I'd just found the one with
that advertisement in it and was readin' it. I remember the part I read,
plain as could be. While we're eatin' dinner I'll tell you about it."

But Miss Dawes did not care for dinner. Like Mr. Tidditt and the
captain, she had had about all the Debby Beasley she wanted.

"Yes, yes, you will stop, too," affirmed the widow. "I want to tell you
more about Blazeton. I can see that advertisement this minute, right
afore my eyes--'Information wanted of my husband, Edward Higgins. Five
foot eight inches tall, sandy complected, brown hair, and yellowish
mustache; not lame, but has a peculiar slight limp with his left
foot--'"

"What?" asked the schoolmistress, stopping short.

"Hey? 'Has a peculiar limp with his left foot.' I remember how Desire
used to talk about that limp. She said 'twas almost as if he stuttered
with his leg. He hurt it when he was up in Montana, and--"

"Oh!" cried Miss Dawes. The color had left her face.

"Yes. You see he used to be a miner or somethin' up there. He'd never
say much about his younger days, but one time he did tell that. I'd
just got as far as that limp when the sulky upset. Talk about bein'
surprised! I never was so surprised in my life as when that horse
critter rared up and--"

Phoebe interrupted. Her color had come back, and her eyes were shining.

"Mrs. Beasley," she cried, "I think I