tanned cheeks the Scotchman complied; and Hardwick's eyes, too, were wet
as he saw it.

"We'll have those things off of him in no time," he shouted. "Here,
let's get him in to the couch in my office. Send some of the mechanics
here. Where's Shade Buckheath?"

A dozen pairs of hands were stretched up to assist MacPherson and Pros
Passmore. As many as could get to the rescued man helped. And when the
crowd saw that shackled figure raised, and heard in the tense silence
the clinking sound of the chains, a low groan went through it; more than
one woman sobbed aloud. But at this Gray raised his head a bit, and once
more declared in a fairly strong voice:

"I'm not hurt, people--only a little crack on the head. I'm all
right--thanks to her," and he motioned toward the girl in the car, who
was watching anxiously.

Then the ever thickening throng went wild; and as Gray was carried up
the steps and disappeared through the office doors, it turned toward the
automobile, surging about the car, a sea of friendly, admiring faces,
most of them touched with the tenderness of tears, and cheered its very
heart out for Johnnie Consadine.

CHAPTER XXV

THE FUTURE

"Gray!" it was Uncle Pros's voice, and Uncle Pros's face looked in at
the office door. "Could I bother you a minute about the sidewalk in
front of the place up yon? Mr. Hexter told me you'd know whether the
grade was right, and I could let the workmen go ahead."

Stoddard swung around from his desk and looked at the old man.

"Come right in," he said. "I'm not busy--I'm just pretending this
morning. MacPherson won't give me anything to do. He persists in
considering me still an invalid."

Uncle Pros came slowly in and laid his hat down gingerly before seating
himself. He was dressed in the garb which, with money, he would always
have selected--the village ideal of a rich gentleman's wear--and he
looked unbelievably tall and imposing in his black broadcloth. When the
matter of the patent was made known to Jerome Hardwick, a company was
hastily formed to take hold of it, which advanced the ready money for
Johnnie and her family to place themselves. Mrs. Hexter, who had been
all winter in Boston, had decided, suddenly, to go abroad; and when her
husband wired her to know if he might let the house to the
Consadine-Passmore household, she made a quick, warm response.

So they were domiciled in a ready-prepared home of elegance and beauty.
Though the place at Cottonvi