in' me. See you later, Ros."

I knew young Somers by reputation. He and his friends were a wild set,
if report was true.

Eldredge had hinted that he intended arranging an interview between
Colton and myself. The prospect did not appeal to me. At first I decided
to go home at once, but something akin to Captain Dean's resentful
stubbornness came over me. I would not be driven home by those people.
I found an unoccupied camp chair--one of Sim's, which he rented for
funerals--and carried it to a dark spot in the shrubbery near the border
of the parsonage lawn and not far from the gate. There I seated myself,
lit a cigar and smoked in solitude.

Elnathan Mullet, evidently considering his labors as door-keeper over,
was counting his takings by lantern light. The moon was low in the west
and a little breeze was now stirring the shrubbery. It was very warm for
the season and I mentally prophesied thunder showers before morning.

I had smoked my cigar perhaps half through when a carriage came down the
road and stopped before the gate. The driver leaned forward and called
to Mullet.

"Hi, Uncle!" he shouted. "You, by the gate! Is Mr. Colton here?"

Elnathan, who was, apparently, half asleep, looked up.

"Hey?" he queried. "Mr. Colton? Yes, he's here. Want him, do you?"

"Yes. Where is he?"

"Up yonder somewheres. There he is, by Sarah Burgess's table. Mr.
Colton! Mr. Col--ton! Somebody wants ye!"

"What in blazes did you yell like that for?" protested the coachman,
springing from the carriage. "Stop it, d'ye hear?"

"You said you wanted him, didn't you? Mr. Colton! Hi! Come here!"

Colton came hurrying down to the gate, his daughter following more
slowly.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

The coachman touched his hat.

"I beg your pardon, sir," he said; "this man started yelling before I
could stop him. I was coming to tell you. Mrs. Colton says she's very
nervous, sir, and please come home at once."

Colton turned with a shrug to his daughter. "We might have expected it,
Mabel," he said. "Come."

But the young lady seemed to hesitate. "I believe I won't go yet,
Father," she said. "Mother doesn't need both of us. Victor will be here
very soon, and we promised to wait for him, you know."

"We can leave word. You'd better come, Mabel. Heavens and earth! you
don't want any MORE of this, do you?"

It was evident that he had had quite enough of the festival. She laughed
lightly.

"I'm finding it very enterta