me, Mr. Rawlins," said she, throwing about her shoulders
the light scarf of tulle which she always wore when entertaining
professionally--"that the exercises rather dragged tonight. Of course,
we know what to expect when Judge Henderson speaks--he's very
entertaining, to be sure. But it seemed to me that had there been a
selection or two more of elocutionary sort it might have lightened up
the evening----Who is that coming just back of us?" she whispered,
looking back over her shoulder.

"That's Aurora Lane, my dear," said Mr. Rawlins, quietly. "Her son is
with her."

"Indeed!"

"Yes, indeed! There's one of the best women I ever knew, my dear."

Miss Clarkson drew herself up proudly, and bent upon him an icy glance.
By now they had approached the corner of public square. "I think I must
say good _night_, Mr. Rawlins!" said she, with icy emphasis.

"Good night, my dear," said the old minister, sighing.

Not far ahead of Ben McQuaid and merchant Newman walked two other
citizens, J.B. Saunders, leading grocer and prominent Knight Templar,
and Nels Jorgens, village blacksmith--the same whose shop was across the
way from the home of Aurora Lane. It was said of Mr. Saunders that it
would have been difficult to surprise him at any hour of the day or
night when he was not in his uniform of a Knight Templar, or carrying
his sword case and hat. For some reasons best known to himself, and
anticipating all possible surprises, he had taken with him to the
meeting this evening the two latter accessories of his wardrobe, which
now he carried as he walked on in conversation.

His neighbor wore an alpaca coat and no necktie whatever--a reticent,
gray-whiskered man, whose bank account had a goodliness perhaps not to
be suspected from first look at its owner. The two talked of many
things, but naturally came around to the only topic which was in the
mind of all.

"What'll he do--old Eph Adamson," asked Saunders. "It looks like he
couldn't stand for what's been handed to him. That young fellow has
pounded him up a couple of times. If I was Adamson I certainly would
have the law on him good and plenty."

"Well," said Old Man Jorgens, comfortably, "I don't know much about it
anyway, but it looks to me Adamson has got pretty near enough already.
He pays a lawyer to get him clear, and when he gets out of that court
already he gets licked once more again. And he knows the boy can lick
him."

"You think he'll like enough lick him ag