.

"Well, Mr. Linden, I hope you have been gratified. I have. I declare I
have!--very much. You are doing a great thing for us here, sir; and I
don't doubt it is a gratification to you to know it. I haven't made up
my mind what we shall do to thank _you_--we've been thanking the
boys--but that's, you know,--that's a political expedient. My heart's
in the other thing."

"Squire Deacon was givin' me about the same perspective of the case,"
said Mr. Simlins,--"only he thought he warnt the one to do the
thaukin'."

Mr. Linden's face, through all these various gratulations, had been a
study. One part of his nature answered, eye to eye and hand to hand,
the thanks and pleasure so variously expressed. But back of that lay
something else,--a something which gave even his smile a tinge,--it was
the face of one who

"Patiently, and still expectant,
Looked out through the wooden bars."

Sometimes grave, at others a queer sense of his own position seemed to
touch him; and his manner might then remind one of a swift-winged
bird--who walking about on the grass for business purposes, is
complimented by a company of crickets on his superior powers of
locomotion. And it was with almost a start that he answered Judge
Harrison--

"Thank _me_, sir? I don't think I deserve any thanks."

"I am sure we owe them," said the Judge,--"but that's another view of
the case, I know. Well--it's a good kind of debt to owe--and to pay!--"

And he was lost again among some other of his guests. In the gradual
shifting and melting away of groups, it happened that Mr. Linden found
himself for a moment alone, when the doctor again approached him.

"Did I do your office well?" he said gently, and half putting his arm
through Mr. Linden's as if to lead him to the house.

The answer was laughingly given--

"'What poet would not mourn to see
His brother write as well as he?'"

"Well," said the doctor, answering the tone, "did I hit your boys?--the
right ones?"

"My boys in point of scholarship?--yes, almost as carefully as I
should."

"I am glad you were satisfied," said the doctor;--"and I'm glad it's
over!--What sort of a life do you lead here in Pattaquasset? I don't
know it. How can one get along here?"

He spoke in a careless sort of confidential manner, as perfectly aware
that his companion was able to answer him. They were very slowly
sauntering up to the house.

"One can get along here in various ways--" said Mr. Li