al. She had been afraid
that he might wish to flee. And who could blame him? During this week
of trial, however, Nelson Haley had recovered his self-control, and had
deliberately made up his mind to the manly course.

Nevertheless, he did not appear in his accustomed place in church on
the morrow. It was not possible for him to walk boldly up the church
aisle among the people who doubted his honesty, or would sneer at him,
either openly or behind his back. And it was known all over the town
by church time that Sunday that he had been arrested, bailed, and had
asked the school committee for a vacation of indefinite length and
without pay, and that this had been granted.

Miss Pearly Breeze and her contingent of trends were not happy for
long. The School Committee knew that a return to old methods in school
matters would never satisfy Polktown again.

They telegraphed the State Superintendent of Schools and a proper and
capable substitute for Mr. Haley was expected to arrive on Monday.

It was on Monday morning, too, that Nelson's partisans and the enemy
came to open warfare. That is, the junior portion of the community
began belligerent action.

Janice was rather belated that morning in starting for Middletown in
the Kremlin car. Marty jumped on the running board with his school
books in a strap, to ride down the hill to the corner of School Street.

Just as they came in sight of Polktown's handsome brick schoolhouse,
there was Nelson Haley briskly approaching.

He had given up his key to the committee on Saturday night; but there
were books and private papers in his desk that he desired to remove
before his successor arrived. The front door was locked and he had to
wait for Benny Thread to hobble up from the basement to open it.

This delay brought every woman on the block to her front windows. Some
peeped from behind the blinds; some boldly came out on their "stoops"
to eye the unfortunate schoolmaster askance. A group of boys were
gathered on the corner within plain earshot of the schoolmaster. As
Janice turned the car carefully into School Street Sim Howell, one of
these young loungers, uttered a loud bray.

"What d'ye s'pose he's after now?" he then demanded of nobody in
particular, but loud enough for all the neighbors to hear. "S'pose he
thinks there's any more money in there ter steal?"

"Stop, Janice!" yelped Marty. "I knew I'd got ter do it. That
feller's been spoilin' for it for a wee