t.

"There they go now!" exclaimed Charles from the window. "By George!
She's a good-looking woman yet!"

Fred joined him and looked down. Phil and her mother were passing
rapidly on the opposite side of the street. Unconsciously Fred drew off
his cap.

"She's a very pleasant woman," he remarked. "Phil introduced me to her
the other day."

"The devil she did! Where did all this happen?"

"At Mr. Montgomery's. Phil's staying there while her father's away."

"I like your cheek! They say my nerve is pretty well developed, but it
isn't equal to that. How did our late aunt--I suppose that's what she
is," he grinned--"take you?"

"Like a lady, for instance. My going there wasn't as cheeky as you
imagine. I was invited."

"Phil?"

"No; Mr. Montgomery."

"There must be a trick in it somewhere. He's a foxy old boy, that Amzi.
Has the general appearance of a fool, but he never loses any money."

"He's offered me a job," said Fred.

"He's _what_?"

"Offered me a job."

"What's the joke? You don't mean that with all this fuss over his
sister's coming back he's picked out a Holton to offer a job to!"

"That's what's happened. They want Perry--his farmer--to take a teaching
place at the agricultural school. It's a fine chance for him, and Mr.
Montgomery has released him from his contract. Perry recommended me, and
Mr. Montgomery asked me to the house a few evenings ago to talk it over.
The arrangement includes my own farm, too, which Kirkwood holds as
trustee until the Sycamore business is straightened out."

Charles backed away and stared at his brother scornfully.

"You idiot! don't you see what they're doing? They're buying you body
and soul. They want to get you on their side--don't you see it?--to use
against Uncle Will and me. Well! of all the smooth, cold-blooded,
calculating scoundrels I ever heard of, they are the beatingest. Of
course you _saw_ it; you haven't walked into the trap!"

"I've accepted the position."

"You blundering fool, you can't accept it! I won't let you accept it!"

"I'm moving my traps to the Montgomery farmhouse to-morrow, so you'll
have to call out the troops if you stop me."

"Well, of all the damned fools!" Then after a turn across the room he
flashed round at his brother. "Look here, Fred; I see your game. You
want to marry that girl. Well, you can't do that either!"

"All right, Charlie. Suppose you write out a list of the various things
I can't do so I won't miss any o