had been disappointed. But
to-day he was rewarded when the postmaster, in addition to his daily
paper, handed him out a letter. Jasper felt that this was the one he
had been looking for, and he hurried out of the building and carted
homeward. Reaching a shady tree by the side of the road, he sat down
upon the ground and tore open the letter. A week of thought and
inactivity had made him anxious to know something more of what was
expected of him, and he was quite certain that now the veil was to be
lifted and the mystery partly solved.

The letter was from Robert Westcote, and although it was somewhat brief
it brought him considerable satisfaction. His eyes kindled with
animation and his pulse quickened as he considered the message he had
just received and meditated upon the possibilities of the future.

CHAPTER XI

CURIOSITY AND ANXIETY

Never in the memory of the oldest inhabitant had Creekdale been so
greatly excited. How the news first arrived no one could tell. But
everybody seemed to have heard the rumor at once, and immediately there
was much running to and fro among the villagers. The store was the
principal place where the men gathered to discuss the report and to
find out what was the latest bit of information. Men would find some
excuse for leaving their work in the fields in order to drop into the
store during the afternoon lest some choice morsel of news should be
missed. Every evening they would gather there such as they had never
done before in the summer months. It was always in the winter that
they made the store their headquarters when work was not so pressing.

It was Andy Forbes, the storekeeper, who made it a point of keeping
abreast of the times. What he didn't know of the events of the parish
was not considered of any importance. He had a way of appearing to
know more than he really did. But concerning this affair at the falls
he was completely blocked.

"The whole thing stumps me," he acknowledged one night, after an
animated discussion had taken place as to the purpose of it all. "I
can understand about the engineers making the surveys to find out how
much power can be obtained from the falls. That Light and Power
Company in the city has been playing the hog too long, and robbing the
people. It is something fierce what they charge. It is only natural
that an opposition company should be formed to force down the prices.
But the question is, Who is back of this new m