, and therefore, perhaps, their assertions had
caused Elias to doubt the evidences of his own senses. At any rate, the
Prophet resolved to put the reform of Pharaoh to the test of texts, and
he raised his voice and declaimed.

Britt came to the front door and mildly entreated the Prophet to walk
in. "I'll be glad to listen to you. Isn't it a good idea to tell me, man
to man, in my office what's wrong with me, instead of standing out there
in the snow, telling the neighborhood?"

The Prophet went in, having first slapped his hand on his breast, urging
action, "'Go in, speak unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt, that he let the
children of Israel go out of his hand.'"

He trudged forth, after a time, and walked along slowly toward Usial's
house, clawing his hand above his ear with the air of a man trying to
solve a perplexing puzzle.

CHAPTER XI

SACKS AND MOUTHS--ALL SEALED

Every now and then the fad of a new trick puzzle--a few bits of twisted
wire, or a stick and a string--will as effectually occupy the time of an
entire community as a cowbell will take up the undivided attention of a
cur, if the bell is hitched to the cur's tail.

The folks of Egypt had a couple of brain-twisters to solve.

What had happened to Tasper Britt?

How did it happen that Cashier Vaniman was holding on to his job?

His townsfolk knew Britt's character pretty well, and they had much food
for speculation in his case.

There were some who ventured the suggestion that Hittie's remonstrating
spirit had come to him in the night watches. Other guesses ran all the
way down the scale of probability to the prosaic belief that Britt had
decided that it was not profitable to go on making a fool of himself. It
was agreed that Britt had a good eye for profit in every line of action;
and it was conceded, even by those who did not believe all that was said
about spiritist influences in these modern days, that if Hittie really
had managed to get at him it was likely that her caustic communications
would knock some of the folly out of him.

Egypt did not know Vaniman, the outlander, very well. Gossip about his
reasons for remaining were mostly all guess-so; the folks got absolutely
nothing from him on the subject. He did not discuss the matter even with
Squire Hexter and Xoa. Frank and Vona had definitely adopted the policy
of waiting, and he resolved to take no chances on having that policy
prejudiced by anybody carrying random stories to Britt, re