e spread
over the countryside, and while matters were at white heat the question
of cancelling Nancy McVeigh's tavern license was again brought before
the Commissioners. Miss Sophia Piper heard of the complaint, and made
it her business to interview the stout gentleman on the Board with whom
she was on friendly terms.

"You came to me once to urge the abolition of this license, but now you
defend the woman," he said to her, in surprise.

"I know that Mrs. McVeigh is honorable and good, and this report is
being circulated by parties who wish to secure her rights for their own
purposes. If liquor is to be sold on the Monk Road, then, sir, I can
speak for the whole temperance people of that section. Let Mrs.
McVeigh have the selling," she answered, pleadingly; and so the license
was extended for another year, as usual. But Moore did not receive the
appointment as master at the new station of Monk the following spring.

CHAPTER V.

_JENNIE._

Mr. Lawrence Hyden stayed at Nancy McVeigh's tavern on the Monk Road
while his leg, which had received a severe crushing in the railroad
accident at the Junction, healed sufficiently for him to depart for his
home in the city. During his sojourn the widow McVeigh was ofttimes
sorely tempted to take him out and stand him on his head in the
horse-trough, so cantankerous was he over his enforced idleness. She
had plenty and to spare of compassion for weaklings, who had not
physical strength such as hers to carry them through troubles, but this
irate old man only annoyed her. She had not been well herself since
that long night's work in the rain, when half of the passenger train
had toppled into the ditch, and her patience was correspondingly
short-lived. The doctor who attended Mr. Hyden noticed the weary look
about her eyes, and offered his advice.

"You should go to bed for at least a fortnight," he suggested.

Nancy smiled as she replied: "'Twould be a merry riot, surely, doctor,
if I gave in to my complaints, with noisy customers downstairs and two
cranky patients above."

However, she gave over the attendance on the obdurate old gentleman,
who from force of necessity was her guest, to Jennie, her adopted
daughter.

"If he finds too many faults, Jennie, just leave him a spell without
his food. That'll teach him to value the fare with a kinder grace,"
she explained.

Contrary to Nancy's expectations, Jennie wrought a wonderful change for
the better in her p