ue. It was one of the first
warm evenings of the Spring and the neighbors were on their porches, or
gossiping at the gates and boundary fences.

What about? Ah! too well did Janice Day know the general subject of
conversation this night in Polktown.

"Come on, Janice," grumbled Marty. "Don't let any of those old cats
stop you. They've all got their claws sharpened up."

"Hush, Marty!" she begged, yet feeling a warm thrill at her heart
because of the boy's loyalty.

"There's that old Benny Thread!" exploded Marty, as they came out on
the High Street. "Oh! he's as important now as a Billy-goat on an
ash-heap. You'd think, to hear him, that he'd stole the coins
himself--only he didn't have no chance't. He and Jack Besmith wouldn't
ha' done a thing to that bunch of money--no, indeed!--if they'd got
hold of it."

"Why, Marty!" put in Janice; "you shouldn't say that." Then, with
sudden curiosity, she added: "What has that drug clerk got to do with
the janitor of the school building?"

"He's Benny's brother-in-law. But Jack's left town, I hear."

"He's gone with Trimmins and Narnay into the woods," Janice said
thoughtfully.

"So _he's_ out of it," grumbled Marty. "Jack went up to Massey's the
other night to try to get his old job back, and Massey turned him out
of the store. Told him his breath smothered the smell of iodoform in
the back shop," and Marty giggled. "That's how Jack come to get a pint
and wander up into our sheep fold to sleep it off."

"Oh, dear, Marty," sighed Janice, "this drinking in Polktown is getting
to be a dreadful thing. See how Walky Dexter was to-night."

"Yep."

"Everything that's gone wrong lately is the fault of Lem Parraday's
bar."

"Huh! I wonder?" questioned Marty. "Guess Nelse Haley won't lay _his_
trouble to liquor drinking."

"No? I wonder----"

"Here's the library building, Janice," interrupted the boy. "Want me
to go any further with you?"

"No, dear," she said, taking the bag from him. "Tell Aunt 'Mira I'll
be home in the morning in time enough to dress for church."

"Aw-right."

"And, Marty!"

"Yep?" returned he, turning back.

"I see there's a light in the basement of the library building. What's
going on?"

"We fellers are holding a meeting," said Marty, importantly. "I called
it this afternoon. I don't mind telling you, Janice, that we're going
to pass resolutions backing up Mr. Haley--pass him a vote of
confidence. That's what they do