sixteenth, I was to hold pending arrival of special agent Jackson.
Service of writ will be made at three forty-five to-day unless
prevented. Telegraph me instructions how to act."

That done I had a good tub, took a brisk walk down the track, and felt
so freshened up as to be none the worse for my sleepless night. I
returned to the station a little after six, and, to my surprise, found
Miss Cullen walking up and down the platform.

"You are up early!" we both said together.

"Yes," she sighed. "I couldn't sleep last night."

"You're not unwell, I hope?"

"No--except mentally."

I looked a question, and she went on: "I have some worries, and then
last night I saw you were all keeping some bad news from me, and so I
couldn't sleep."

"Then we did wrong to make a mystery of it, Miss Cullen," I said, "for
it really isn't anything to trouble about. Mr. Camp is simply taking
legal steps to try to force me to deliver those letters to him."

"And can he succeed?"

"No."

"How will you stop him?"

"I don't know yet just what we shall do, but if worse comes to worse I
will allow myself to be committed for contempt of court."

"What would they do with you?"

"Give me free board for a time."

"Not send you to prison?"

"Yes."

"Oh!" she cried, "that mustn't be. You must not make such a sacrifice
for us."

"I'd do more than that for _you_," I said, and I couldn't help putting
a little emphasis on the last word, though I knew I had no right to do
it.

She understood me, and blushed rosily, even while she protested, "It
is too much--"

"There's really no likelihood," I interrupted, "of my being able to
assume a martyr's crown, Miss Cullen; so don't begin to pity me till
I'm behind the bars."

"But I can't bear to think--"

"Don't," I interrupted again, rejoicing all the time at her evident
anxiety, and blessing my stars for the luck they had brought me. "Why,
Miss Cullen," I went on, "I've become so interested in your success
and the licking of those fellows that I really think I'd stand about
anything rather than that they should win. Yesterday, when Mr. Camp
threatened to--" Then I stopped, as it suddenly occurred to me that it
was best not to tell Madge that I might lose my position, for it would
look like a kind of bid for her favor, and, besides, would only add to
her worries.

"Threatened what?" asked Miss Cullen.

"Threatened to lose his temper," I answered.

"You know that wasn't what you w