on his way to the office, asking
if what they had heard was true, and to all he replied:

'True as the gospel; we are floored, as Peterkin would say.'

And then he hurried to the cottage to see Jerrie, and tell her of the
message sent to Arthur, though not how it was worded After a moment he
continued, hesitatingly, as if half ashamed of it:

'I called at _Lubbertoo_ last night to enquire after Ann Eliza's foot,
and you ought to have seen Peterkin when I told him the news. At first
he could not find any word in his vocabulary big enough to swear by, but
after a little one came to him, and what do you think it was?'

Jerrie could not guess, and Tom continued.

He said, "by the great Peterkin!" and then he swowed, and vowed, and
snummed, and vummed, and dummed, and finally said he was glad of it,
and had always known you were a Tracy. Ann Eliza was so glad she cried,
and I think Billy cried, too, for he left the room suddenly, with very
suspicious-looking eyes. Why, everybody is glad for you, Jerrie, and
nobody seems to think how mean it is for us; but I'm not going to whine.
I'm glad it's you, and so is Maude, and she wants to see you. I believe
she's going to die, and--and--Jerrie--'

Something choked Tom for a moment, then he went on:

'If Uncle Arthur should get high, and order us out at once, as father
seems to think he will, you'll--you'll--let us stay while Maude lives,
won't you?'

'Tom,' Jerrie said, reproachfully, 'What do you take me for, and why
does your father think his brother will order him out?'

'I don't know,' Tom replied, 'but he seems awfully afraid to meet him.
Mother says he was up all night walking the floor and talking to
himself, and yet he says he is glad, and he is coming this morning to
see you and talk it over. I believe I hear him now speaking to Mrs.
Crawford. Yes, 'tis he; so I guess I'll go; and when I hear from my
telegram I'll let you know. Good-bye.'

A moment after Tom left the room his father entered it, looking haggard
and old, and frightened, too, it seemed to Jerrie, as she went forward
to meet him with a cheery 'good-morning, Uncle Frank.'

It was the first time she had addressed him by that name, and her smile
was so bright and her manner so cordial that for an instant the cloud
lifted from his face, but soon came back darker than ever as he declined
the seat she offered him and stood tremblingly before her.

Frank had not slept a wink the previous night, nor had h