n continued working steadily
at the cases.

"You took it coolly, Fergus," I said to him in a low voice.

"Got to print a paper this week," he observed.

I verily believe if we had all deserted our jobs Fergus would have
brought out the _Star_ as usual on Wednesday, a little curtailed,
perhaps, but on the dot.

Anthy came in looking perfectly calm. Ed Smith jumped from his seat at
once.

"See here, Miss Doane," he began excitedly, "what right has the Captain
to discharge me?"

The old Captain had arisen, too, and very formidable he looked. But my
eyes were on Anthy. She stepped over to her uncle's side. She had a deep
affection for this old uncle of hers. "Look out for your Uncle Newt,"
her father had said in the letter she found after his death. She put her
arm through his, drew him toward her, and looking up at him, smiled a
little.

"What right has the Captain to discharge me?" demanded Ed Smith.

"No right at all," she said.

"There!" exclaimed Ed, exultantly.

"But I have the right," said Anthy, "if I choose to exert it."

There was a curious finality in her voice--calmness and finality. The
old Captain was frowning, but Anthy held him close by the arm. A moment
of silence followed. I suppose we must, indeed, have been an absurd
group of men standing there helplessly, for Anthy surveyed us with a
swift glance.

"What _are_ you all so serious about?" she asked.

While we were awkwardly bestirring ourselves, Anthy took off her hat,
just as usual, put on her apron, just as usual. It was the natural-born
genius of Anthy to have the orderly wheels of life running again. And
presently, standing near the Captain's littered desk, she exclaimed:

"At last, at last, Uncle Newt, you've written your editorial on
Roosevelt!"

She picked up the manuscript.

"Yes, Anthy," rumbled the Captain, "I have written my convictions about
the Colonel. It was a duty I had."

The Captain was not yet placated, but there was no resisting Anthy very
long. "David will never be satisfied until he hears it," she said. She
looked over the pages. "Have you said _exactly_ what you think, Uncle?"

"Exactly," said the Captain; "I could not do less. But I wanted Nort to
hear it."

"Well, where is Mr. Carr?" asked Anthy, looking about in surprise.

For a moment no one said a word. And then Ed Smith spoke:

"We've simply got to cut down expenses. I hired Carr when I thought we
needed a cheap man to help Fergus--and now I've let