pe the devil knows how to make him pay for what all
of us have suffered!"

"Child! Child!" cried mother.

"I can't help it!" said the Princess. "Let me tell you, Mr. Stanton."

Then SHE told everything all over again, but it was even more
interesting than the way Robert explained it, because what she said was
about how it had been with her and her mother.

"It made father what he is," she said. "He would have killed Robert,
if our friends hadn't helped him away. He will now, if he isn't
stopped. I tell you he will! He sold everything he could legally
control, for what any one chose to give him, and fled here stricken in
pride, heartbroken, insane with anger, the creature you know. In a
minute he'll be back again. Oh what are we going to do?"

Father was laying out the papers that he wanted to use very carefully.

"These constitute all the proof any court would require," he said to
Robert. "If he returns, all of you keep from sight. This is my house;
I'll manage who comes here, in my own way."

"But you must be allowed to take no risk!" cried Robert. "I cawn't
consent to youah facing danger for me."

"There will be no risk," said father. "There is no reason why he
should want to injure me. As the master of this house, I am accustomed
to being obeyed. If he comes, step into the parlour there, until I
call you."

He was busy with the papers when he saw Mr. Pryor coming. I wondered
if he would jump the yard fence and ride down mother's flowers, but he
left his horse at the hitching rack, and pounded on the front door.

"Did any of you notice whether he was displaying a revolver?" asked
father.

"Yes father! Yes!" I cried. "And he's shaking so I'm afraid he'll
make it go, when he doesn't intend to."

Father picked up and levelled his rifle on the front door.

"Leon," he said, "you're pretty agile. Open this door, keep yourself
behind it, and step around in the parlour. The rest of you get out,
and stay out of range."

Those nearest hurried into the parlour. Candace, May, and I crouched
in the front stairway, but things were so exciting we just had to keep
the door open a tiny crack so we could see plain as anything. There
had been nothing for Mrs. Freshett to do all afternoon, so she had gone
over to visit an hour with Amanda Deam. Now Mr. Pryor probably thought
father would meet him with the Bible in his hand, and read a passage
about loving your neighbour as yourself. I'll bet anythi