"Why, Brother Garnet! Why, supposin' that young stranger should get
shot!"

"Yes, or if he should no more than see March shot or shot at! What an
impression he'd carry back North with him! It's an outrage on our whole
people, sir, and God knows!--I speak reverently, my dear brother--we've
suffered enough of that sort of slander! I'd tell him, myself, but--this
must be between us, of course----"

"Why, of co'se, Brother Garnet," murmured the Pastor and bent one ear.

"It's a pure piece of selfish business rivalry on John's part toward me.
He's asked Fair to his house simply to keep him away from Rosemont."

"Why, Brother Garnet! Rosemont's right where he'd ought to go to!"

"In John's own interest!" said Garnet.

"In John's--you're right, my brother! I'm suprised he don't see it so!"

"O--I'm not! He's a terribly overrated chap, Brother Tombs. Fact is--I
say it in the sincerest friendship for him--John's got no real talents
and not much good sense--though one or two of his most meddlesome
friends have still less." The Major began to gather up the reins.

"Well, I'll try to see him, Brother Garnet. I met him yeste'day--Look
here! I reckon that young man's not goin' to stop with him after all. He
told me yeste'day he was going to put a friend into Swanee Hotel because
Sisteh March felt too feeble, aw fearful, aw somethin', an' he felt
bound to stand his expenses."

"And so he"--the Major paused pleasantly. "How much did you lend him?"

"Aw! Brother Garnet, I didn't mean you to know that! He had to put
shuttehs on his sitt'n'-room windows, too, you know, to quiet Sisteh
March's ve'y natu'al fears. I only promised to lend him a small amount
if he should need it."

"O, he'll need it," said the Major, and included Barbara in his broad
smile. "Still, I hope you'll let him have it. If he doesn't return it to
you I will; I loved his father. John should have come to me, Brother
Tombs, as he's always done. I say this to you privately, you know. I'll
consider the loan practically made to me, for we simply can't let Fair
go to Widewood, even if John puts shutters on all his windows."

Again the speaker lifted his reins and the Parson drew back with a bow
to Barbara, when Johanna spoke and the whole group stared after two
townward-bound horsemen.

"Those are mountain people, right now," said the Parson.

"Yes," replied Garnet, "but they're no kin to Enos." He moved on to
Halliday's gate.

It was the fourteenth of th