only two keys
in existence,--one was safe with the president of the bank, and is about
all he 's got to show out of forty years' savings; the only other one
you hed: consequently, it heaves it onto you."

"I see," said Wood. "I will go with you. Do you want to come into the
house with me while I get my coat?"

"Well, I suppose I must keep you in sight,--now you know."

And they went into the house.

"Mary," said her husband, "the folks that lost by Clark when the bank
broke have been at him until he 's felt obliged to pitch on somebody,
and he's pitched on me; and Captain Nourse has come to arrest me. I
shall get bail before long."

She said nothing, and did not shed a tear till he was gone.

But then--

II.

Wide wastes of salt-marsh to the right, imprisoning the upland with a
vain promise of infinite liberty, and, between low, distant sandhills,
a rim of sea. Stretches of pine woods behind, shutting in from the great
outer world, and soon to darken into evening gloom. Ploughed fields and
elm-dotted pastures to the left, and birch-lined roads leading by white
farm-houses to the village, all speaking of cheer and freedom to the
prosperous and the happy, but to the unfortunate and the indebted, of
meshes invisible but strong as steel. But, before, no lonesome marshes,
no desolate forest, no farm or village street, but the free blue ocean,
rolling and tumbling still from the force of an expended gale.

In the open doorway of a little cottage, warmed by the soft slanting
rays of the September sun, a rough man, burnt and freckled, was sitting,
at his feet a net, engaged upon some handiwork which two little girls
were watching. Close by him lay a setter, his nose between his paws.
Occasionally the man raised his eyes to scan the sea.

"There's Joel," he said, "comin' in around the Bar. Not much air
stirrin' now!"

Then he turned to his work again.

"First, you go _so_ fash'," he said to the children, as he drew a
thread; "then you go _so_ fash'."

And as he worked he made a great show of labor, much to their diversion.

But the sight of Joel's broad white sail had not brought pleasant
thoughts to his mind; for Joel had hailed him, off the Shoal, the
afternoon before, and had obligingly offered to buy his fish right
there, and so let him go directly home, omitting to mention that sudden
jump of price due to an empty market.

"Wonder what poor man he 's took a dollar out of to-day! Well, I s'pose
it'