sophy or not, the fact
remained that I was pleased. People might dislike me--as that lofty
Colton girl and her father disliked me, though they could dislike me
no more than I did them--but I could compel them to respect me. They
already must think of me as a man. And so on--as I walked home through
the wet grass. It was all as foolish and childish and ridiculous as it
well could be. I deserved what was coming to me--and I got it.

For, as I came down the Lane, I met Oscar, the chauffeur, and a
companion, whom I judged to be a fellow servant--the coachman, I learned
afterwards--walking in the direction of the village. The rain had
ceased, but they wore natty raincoats and caps and had the city air of
smartness which I recognized and envied, even in them. The footpath was
narrow, but they apparently had no intention of stepping to one side,
so I made way for them. They whispered together as they approached and
looked at me curiously as we passed. A few steps further on I heard them
both burst out laughing. I caught the words, from Oscar, "fool Rube" and
"the old man'll make him look--" I heard no more, but as I turned into
the grove I saw them both looking after me with broad grins on their
faces.

Somebody has said that there is nothing harder to bear than the contempt
and ridicule of servants. For one thing, you cannot resent it without a
loss of dignity, and, for another, you may be perfectly sure that theirs
is but the reflection of their employers' frame of mind. This encounter
shook my self-satisfaction more than a little. It angered me, but it did
more than that; it brought back the feeling I had when I left the Colton
library, that my defiance was not, after all, taken seriously. That I
was regarded by Colton as just what Oscar had termed me, a "fool Rube."
When George Taylor told me of the great man's questions concerning my
foolishness, I accepted the question as a tribute to my independence.
Now I was not so sure.

Dorinda met me at the door.

"You've had two callers," she said.

"So? Who were they?"

"One of 'em was Cap'n Jed. He drove down just after you left. He come to
see you about that land, I cal'late."

"Oh, yes. I remember he told me he missed me this morning. So he came
here?"

"Um-hm. Him and me had a little talk. He seemed to know consider'ble
about your rumpus with Mr. Colton."

"How did he know?"

"He wouldn't say, but I wouldn't wonder if he got a lot from Ase Peters.
Ase and he are