g the worst end of it, and after putting up with
Bob Harrison's crotchets so many years."

'Phemie was interested in Mrs. Harrison and wanted to ask Lucas about her;
but just as they started Harris Colesworth darted out of the house again,
having seen his father.

"Hold on! don't be stingy!" he cried. "There's a seat empty beside you,
Miss Lyddy. Can't I go, too?"

Now, how could you refuse a person as bold as that? Besides, Harris was a
"paying guest" and she did not want to offend him! So Lyddy bowed demurely
and young Colesworth hopped in.

"Let 'em go, Lucas!" he cried. "Now, this is what _I_ call a mighty nice
little family party--I don't see Somers in it."

At that Lucas laughed so he could scarcely hold the reins. But Lyddy only
looked offended.

"Stop your silly giggling, Lucas," commanded 'Phemie, fearful that her
sister would become angry and "speak out in meeting." "I want to know all
about this Mrs. Harrison."

"Is that where you're bound--to the Widow Harrison's?" asked Harris.
"I have been told that our new friend, Professor Spink, has sold her
out--stock, lock, and barrel."

"Is _that_ who is making her trouble?" demanded 'Phemie, hotly. "I _knew_
he was a mean man."

"Well, he was a bad man to go to for money, I reckon," agreed Harris.

"Bob Harrison didn't mortgage his place to Jud Spink," explained Lucas.
"No sir! He got the money of Reuben Smiles, years ago. And he and his
widder allus paid the intrust prompt."

"Well--how did it come into Spink's hands?"

"Why--I dunno. Guess Spink offered Smiles a bonus. At any rate, the
original mortgage had long since run out, and was bein' renewed from
year to year. When it come time for renewal, Jud Spink showed his hand and
foreclosed. They had a sale, and it didn't begin to pay the face of the
mortgage. You see, the place had all run down. Bob hadn't turned a stroke
of work on it for years before he died, and the widder'd only made shift
to make a garden.

"Wal, there was a clause covering all personal property--and the widder
had subscribed to it. So now the sheriff is going to have a vendue an' see
if he kin satisfy Jud Spink's claim in full. Dunno what _will_ become of
Mis' Harrison," added Lucas, shaking his head. "She's quite spry, if she
is old; but she ain't got a soul beholden to her, an' I reckon she'll
be took to the poor farm."

CHAPTER XX

THE TEMPERANCE CLUB AGAIN

The boys sat in the buckboard and talked earnestly whi