wipe out the labouring class; of course, that would cripple him, but
he'd have the ground to himself and he could make up for that.
However, at the plague suggestion Marcia Lowe rose grimly with warning
gesture. The little doctor was undermining several things. She was
teaching the women to live decently, cook decently, and take a human
interest in their children. Her charm, too, was having effect; more
than Martin Morley had tested its potency and taken to holier ways.
The Forge doctor often told Crothers that the She-Saw-Bones ought to be
behind bars, but even in Lost Hollow you couldn't put a person behind
bars for cleaning souls and homes.

And then, at that juncture, Crothers came upon Treadwell and Cynthia.
He saw the girl's shudder and her look at her companion, and he
understood the shudder but misunderstood the look! Lansing Treadwell
had not cared to cover his true identity; rather boastfully he had
proclaimed himself a Hertford and meant, some day, to reclaim his
family lands and bring back the glory of the past. But Lost Hollow had
its private opinion of the Hertfords, and when the County Club had been
permitted to share the joke about that old story which had damned the
Morleys, the club refused to laugh. Oddly enough they took sides with
Martin Morley, and in their late understanding of facts made flattering
overtures to Martin that embarrassed him deeply.

"Morley," Tod Greeley urged, "you-cum down to the club and set in
Townley's armchair. Andrew Townley ain't ever going to sit anywhere
again, I reckon; he's flat on his back for keeps now. His chair is
mighty empty-looking and there ain't a man round the store but would
welcome you to that seat of honour."

With no idea of resentment Martin replied: "You're mighty kind,
Greeley, and time was when I'd like to have jined you-all, but now
Sandy and me is right companionable and--him not being a smokin' man,
I'd be mighty lonesome in the circle, and Sandy would miss me to home."

"And serves us-all right, too," Greeley said to the club. "Us-all
pitting a Hertford agin a Morley!"

So the situation was ripe for Crothers to use Cynthia and the doubtful
Hertford against Morley, and, incidentally, the Company against Morley.

"Sandy Morley would like to get the girl," Crothers reasoned
primitively; "and if this-er-Treadwell or Hertford can smirch her--it
will finish Sandy; take his appetite for The Hollow away and--clean up
the whole business--get