pit among the flames. Had the prudential committee at Brampton
promised the appointment ten times over, he might still have obtained it
for her by a word. And he must not speak even that word. Who shall say
that a large part of the punishment of Jethro Bass did not come to him
in the life upon this earth.

Some such thoughts were running in Cynthia's head as they jingled away
to Brampton that dazzling morning. Perhaps the stage driver, too, who
knew something of men and things and who meddled not at all, had made
a guess at the situation. He thought that Cynthia's spirits seemed
lightened a little, and he meant to lighten them more; so he joked as
much as his respect for his passengers would permit, and told the news
of Brampton. Not the least of the news concerned the first citizen
of that place. There was a certain railroad in the West which had got
itself much into Congress, and much into the newspapers, and Isaac D.
Worthington had got himself into that railroad: was gone West, it was
said on that business, and might not be back for many weeks. And Lem
Hallowell remembered when Mr. Worthington was a slim-cheated young
man wandering up and down Coniston Water in search of health. Good Mr.
Satterlee, thinking this a safe subject, allowed himself to be led into
a discussion of the first citizen's career, which indeed had something
fascinating in it.

Thus they jingled into Brampton Street and stopped before the cottage of
Judge Graves--a courtesy title. The judge himself came to the door and
bestowed a pronounced bow on the minister, for Mr. Satterlee was honored
in Brampton. Just think of what Ezra Graves might have looked like, and
you have him. He greeted Cynthia, too, with a warm welcome--for Ezra
Graves,--and ushered them into a best parlor which was reserved for
ministers and funerals and great occasions in general, and actually
raised the blinds. Then Mr. Satterlee, with much hemming and hawing,
stated the business which had brought them, while Cynthia looked out of
the window.

Mr. Graves sat and twirled his lean thumbs. He went so far as to say
that he admired a young woman who scorned to live in idleness, who
wished to impart the learning with which she had been endowed. Fifteen
applicants were under consideration for the position, and the prudential
committee had so far been unable to declare that any of them were
completely qualified. (It was well named, that prudential committee?)
Mr. Graves, furthermo