I was
faithful in season, and outer season, warnin' her what would happen if
she married that Drugg."

"Oh, Mrs. Scattergood! What has happened?" cried Janice, earnestly.

"What's happened to Hopewell?" added Aunt 'Mira.

"Enough, I should say! He's out carousin' with that fiddle of
his'n--down ter Lem Parraday's tavern this very night with some wild
gang of fellers, and my 'Rill hum with that child o' his'n. And what
d'ye think?" demanded Mrs. Scattergood, still excitedly. "What d'ye
think's happened ter that Lottie Drugg?"

"Oh, my, Mrs. Scattergood! What _has_ happened to poor little Lottie?"
Janice cried.

"Why," said 'Rill Drugg's mother, lowering her voice a little and
moderating her asperity. "The poor little thing's goin' blind again, I
do believe!"

CHAPTER III

"THE SEVENTH ABOMINATION"

Sorrowful as Janice Day was because of the report upon little Lottie
Drugg's affliction, she was equally troubled regarding the storekeeper
himself. Janice had a deep interest in both Mr. Drugg and 'Rill
Scattergood--"that was," to use a provincialism. The girl really felt
as though she had helped more than a little to bring the storekeeper
and the old-maid school-teacher together after so many years of
misunderstanding.

It goes without saying that Mrs. Scattergood had given no aid in making
the match. Indeed, as could be gathered from what she said now, the
birdlike woman had heartily disapproved of her daughter's marrying the
widowed storekeeper.

"Yes," she repeated; "there I found poor, foolish 'Rill--her own eyes
as red as a lizard's--bathing that child's eyes. I never did believe
them Boston doctors could cure her. Yeou jest wasted your money,
Janice Day, when you put up fer the operation, and I knowed it at the
time."

"Oh, I hope not, Mrs. Scattergood!" Janice replied. "Not that I care
about the money; but I do, _do_ hope that little Lottie will keep her
sight. The poor, dear little thing!"

"What's the matter with Lottie Drugg?" demanded Marty, from the
doorway. Walky Dexter had started homeward, and Marty and Mr. Day
joined the women folk in the sitting room.

"Oh, Marty!" Janice exclaimed, "Mrs. Scattergood says there is danger
of the poor child's losing her sight again."

"And that ain't the wust of it," went on Mrs. Scattergood, bridling.
"My darter is an unfortunate woman. I knowed how 'twould be when she
married that no-account Drugg. He sartainly was one 'drug on the