drop in and tell him what they
thought of him with a sly wink that pleased and never offended him.

He mildly protested against the sensational charge when questioned
about it, saying that Nellie was mistaken, that her jealousy led her
to believe a lot of things that were not true, and that he felt
dreadfully cut up about the whole business, as it was likely to create
a wrong impression in New York. Of course, he went on, no one in
Blakeville believed the foolish thing! But in New York--well, they
were likely to believe anything of a fellow there!

He moved in the very centre of a great white light. Reporters came in
every day and asked him if there was anything new, hoping, of course,
for fresh developments in the great divorce case. Lawyers dropped in
to hint that they would like to take care of his interests. But there
never was anything new, and his New York lawyers were perfectly
capable of handling his affairs, particularly as he had decided to
enter no general denial to the charges. He would let her get her
divorce if she wanted it so badly as all that!

"I'd fight it," said the editor of the _Patriot_, counselling him one
afternoon.

"You wouldn't if you had a child to consider," said Harvey,
resignedly, quite overlooking the fact that there were nine growing
children in the editor's household.

"She's too young to know anything about it," argued the other,
earnestly.

Harvey shook his head. "You don't know what it is to be a father, Mr.
Brinkley. It's a terrible responsibility."

Mr. Brinkley snorted. "I should say it is!"

"You'd think of your children if your wife sued you for divorce and
charged you with----"

"I'd want my children to know I was innocent," broke in the editor,
warmly.

"They wouldn't believe it if the lawyers got to cross-examining you,"
said Harvey, meaning well, but making a secret enemy of Mr. Brinkley,
who thought he knew more of a regrettable visit to Chicago than he
pretended.

Late in the fall several important epoch-making things happened to
Harvey. Nellie was granted a divorce and the custody of the child. His
uncle fell ill and died of pneumonia, and he found himself the sole
heir to a thriving business and nearly three thousand dollars in bank.
Mrs. Davis blandly proposed matrimony to him, now that he was free and
she nearing the halfway stage of mourning.

He was somewhat dazed by these swift turns of the wheel of fate.

His first thought on coming into the fort