-much as ever. Great scheme, that sociable,
eh? I saw your little girl introducing you right and left."

"Say, Hartley, I wish you'd leave her out of this thing; I don't like
the way you speak of her when--"

"Phew! You don't? Oh, all right! I'm mum as an oyster--only keep it up!
Get into all the church sociables you can; there's nothing like it."

* * * * *

Hartley soon had canvassers out along the country roads, and was working
every house in town. The campaign promised to lengthen into a
month--perhaps longer. Albert especially became a great favorite. Every
one declared there had never been such book agents in the town. "They're
such gentlemanly fellows. They don't press anybody to buy. They don't
rush about and 'poke their noses where they're not wanted.' They are
more like merchants with books to sell." The only person who failed to
see the attraction in them was Ed Brann, who was popularly supposed to
be engaged to Maud. He grew daily more sullen and repellent, toward
Albert noticeably so.

One evening about six, after coming in from a long walk about town,
Albert entered his room without lighting his lamp, lay down on the bed,
and fell asleep. He had been out late the night before with Maud at a
party, and slumber came almost instantly.

Maud came in shortly, hearing no response to her knock, and after
hanging some towels on the rack went out without seeing the sleeper. In
the sitting-room she met Ed Brann. He was a stalwart young man with
curling black hair, and a heavy face at its best, but set and sullen
now. His first words held a menace:

"Say, Maud, I want t' talk to you."

"Very well; what is it, Ed?" replied the girl, quietly.

"I want to know how often you're going to be out till twelve o'clock
with this book agent?"

Perhaps it was the derisive inflection on "book agent" that woke Albert.
Brann's tone was brutal--more brutal even than his words, and the girl
turned pale and her breath quickened.

"Why, Ed, what's the matter?"

"Matter is just this: you ain't got any business goin' around with that
feller with my ring on your finger, that's all." He ended with an
unmistakable threat in his voice.

"Very well," said the girl, after a pause, curiously quiet; "then I
won't; here's your ring."

The man's bluster disappeared instantly. Bert could tell by the change
in his voice, which was incredibly great, as he pleaded:

"Oh, don't do that, Maud; I didn't m