u've seed it for yourself. She's frailed Frank,
she'd 'a' frailed me jest now ef you hadn't 'a' been on hand, an' she'll
frail you out before long. She's jest turrible."

Mr. Sanders kept up his good-humour all the way home, and when he had
been placed in charge of Uncle Plato, who knew how to deal with him, he
said: "Now, fellers, I had a mighty good reason for restin' my mind. You
cried bekase old Billy Sanders was drunk, didn't you, Nan? Well, I'm
mighty glad you did. I never know'd before that a sob or two would make
a Son of Temperance of a man; but that's what they'll do for me. Nobody
in this world will ever see me drunk ag'in. So long!"

It may be said here that Mr. Sanders kept his promise. The events which
followed required clear heads and steady hands for their shaping, but
each crisis, as it arose, found Mr. Sanders, and a few others who acted
with him, fully prepared to meet it, though there were times and
occasions when he, as well as the rest, was overtaken by a profound
sense of his helplessness. Some fell into melancholy, and some were
overtaken by dejection, but Mr. Sanders never for a moment forgot to be
cheerful.

"I don't suppose there is another girl in the country who would make
such a spectacle of herself as I made to-day," said Nan, as she and
Gabriel walked slowly in the direction of town.

"What do you mean?" inquired Gabriel.

"You know well enough," replied Nan. "Why, think of a young woman
rushing across the public square in the face of a crowd, and doing as I
did! I'll be the talk of the town. What is your opinion?"

"Well, considering who the man was, and everything, I think it was very
becoming in you," replied Gabriel.

"Oh, thank you!" said Nan. "Under the circumstances, you could say no
less. You have changed greatly, Gabriel, since Eugenia Claiborne began
to make eyes at you. You seem to think it is a mark of politeness to pay
compliments right and left, and to agree with everybody. No doubt, if an
invitation to tea had come from further up the street, you would have
found some excuse for accepting."

Nan's logic was quite feminine, but Gabriel took no advantage of that
fact. "I'm sorry I can't come, Nan, and I hope you'll not be angry."

"Angry! why should I be angry?" Nan exclaimed. "An invitation to tea is
not so important."

"But this one is important to me," said Gabriel. "It is the first time
you have asked me, and I hope it won't be the last."

Nan said nothing mo