TOWN TOOK IT

That was a very serious Saturday night at the old Day house, as well as
at the Beaseley cottage. Aunt 'Mira had whispered to Janice before the
girl had set forth with her uncle in the afternoon:

"Bring him home to supper with ye, child--the poor young man! We got
to cheer him up, betwixt us. I'm goin' to have raised biscuits and
honey. He does dote on light bread."

But Nelson would not come. Janice had succeeded in encouraging him to
a degree; but the young schoolmaster was too seriously wounded, both in
his self-respect and at heart, to wish to mingle on this evening with
any of his fellow-townsmen--even those who were his declared friends
and supporters.

"Don't look for me at church to-morrow, either, Janice," the young man
said. "It may seem cowardly; but I cannot face all these people and
ignore this disgrace."

"It is _not_ disgrace, Nelson!" Janice cried hotly.

"It is, my dear girl. One does not have to be guilty to be disgraced
by such an accusation. I may be a coward; I don't know. At least, I
feel it too keenly to march into church to-morrow and know that
everybody is whispering about me. Why, Janice, I might break down and
make a complete fool of myself."

"Oh, no, Nelson!"

"I might. Even the children will know all about it and will stare at
me. I have to face them on Monday morning, and by that time I may have
recovered sufficient self-possession to ignore their glances and
whispers."

And with that decision Janice was obliged to leave him.

"The poor, foolish boy!" Aunt 'Mira said. "Don't he know we all air
sufferin' with him?"

But Uncle Jason seemed better to appreciate the schoolmaster's attitude.

"I don't blame him none. He's jest like a dog with a hurt paw--wants
ter crawl inter his kennel and lick his wounds. It's a tough
propersition, for a fac'."

"He needn't be afraid that the fellers will guy him," growled Marty.
"If they do, I'll lick 'em!"

"Oh, Marty! All of them?" cried Janice, laughing at his vehemence, yet
tearful, too.

"Well--all I _can_," declared her cousin. "And there ain't many I
can't, you bet."

"If you was as fond of work as ye be of fightin', Marty," returned Mr.
Day, drily, "you sartin sure'd be a wonderful feller."

"Ya-as," drawled his son but in a very low tone, "maw says I'm growin'
more'n more like you, every day."

"Marty," Janice put in quickly, before the bickering could go any
further, "did you see little Lottie