mother told me I ought to invite him over here, out I had no business
to do it; he don't know the first principles of how to act in a town he
don't live in!"

"Where'd he go?" William asked, listlessly, for Mr. Crooper was nowhere
in sight.

"I don't know--he just walked off without sayin' anything. But he'll be
back, time this dance is over, never you fear, and he'll grab her again
and--What's the matter with Joe?"

Joseph Bullitt had made his appearance at a corner of the house, some
distance from where they stood. His face was alert under the impulse of
strong excitement, and he beckoned fiercely. "Come here!" And, when they
had obeyed, "He's around back of the house by a kind of shed," said Joe.
"I think something's wrong. Come on, I'll show him to you."

But behind the house, whither they followed him in vague, strange hope,
he checked them. "LOOK THERE!" he said.

His pointing finger was not needed. Sounds of paroxysm drew their
attention sufficiently--sounds most poignant, soul-rending, and
lugubrious. William and Johnnie perceived the large person of Mr.
Crooper; he was seated upon the ground, his back propped obliquely
against the smoke-house, though this attitude was not maintained
constantly.

Facing him, at a little distance, a rugged figure in homely garments
stood leaning upon a hoe and regarding George with a cold interest. The
apex of this figure was a volcanic straw hat, triangular in profile and
coned with an open crater emitting reddish wisps, while below the
hat were several features, but more whiskers, at the top of a long,
corrugated red neck of sterling worth. A husky voice issued from the
whiskers, addressing George.

"I seen you!" it said. "I seen you eatin'! This here farm is supposed to
be a sanitary farm, and you'd ought of knew better. Go it, doggone you!
Go it!"

George complied. And three spectators, remaining aloof, but watching
zealously, began to feel their lost faith in Providence returning into
them; their faces brightened slowly, and without relapse. It was a
visible thing how the world became fairer and better in their eyes
during that little while they stood there. And William saw that his
Little Sweethearts had been an inspired purchase, after all; they had
delivered the final tap upon a tottering edifice. George's deeds at
dinner had unsettled, but Little Sweethearts had overthrown--and now
there was awful work among the ruins, to an ironical accompaniment of
music f