ro of you wimmen folks. Didn't he
sarve--how many was it?--fourteen year, for Rachel?"

"Bah!" exclaimed the old lady. "I 'spect she wished he'd sarved
fourteen year _more_, when she seen the big family she had to wash and
mend for. Don't talk to me! Wimmen's never had their rights in this
world yet, but they're goin' to get 'em now."

Here Aunt 'Mira broke in to change the topic of conversation to one
less perilous: "I never did hear tell that Hopewell Drugg drank a drop.
It's a pity if he's took it up so late in life--and him jest married."

"Wal! I jest tell ye what I know. There's my 'Rill cryin' her eyes
out an' she confessed that Drugg had gone down to the tavern to fiddle,
and that he'd been there before. She has to wait on store evenin's, as
well as take care of that young one, while he's out carousin'."

"Carousin'! Gosh!" exploded Marty, suddenly. "I know what it is.
There's a bunch of fellers from Middletown way comin' over to-night
with their girls to hold a dance. I heard about it. Hopewell's goin'
to play the fiddle for them to dance by. Tell you, the Inn's gettin'
to be a gay place."

"It's disgustin whatever it is!" cried Mrs. Scattergood, rather taken
aback by Marty's information, yet still clinging to her own opinion.
It was not Mrs. Scattergood's nature to scatter good--quite the
opposite. "An' no married man should attend sech didoes. Like enough
he _will_ drink with the rest of 'em. Oh, 'Rill will be sick enough of
her job before she's through with it, yeou mark my words."

"Oh, Mrs. Scattergood," Janice said pleadingly, "I hope you are wrong.
I would not want to see Miss 'Rill unhappy."

"She's made her bed--let her lie in it," said the disapproving mother,
gloomily. "I warned her."

Later, both Janice and Marty went with Mrs. Scattergood to see her
safely home. She lived in the half of a tiny cottage on High Street
above the side street on which Hopewell Drugg had his store. Had it
not been so late, Janice would have insisted upon going around to see
"Miss 'Rill," as all her friends still called, the ex-school teacher,
though she was married.

As they were bidding their caller good night at her gate, a figure
coming up the hill staggered into the radiance of the street light on
the corner. Janice gasped. Mrs. Scattergood ejaculated:

"What did I tell ye?"

Marty emitted a shrill whistle of surprise.

"What d'ye know about _that_?" he added, in a low voice.

Ther