al Church, but the
Captain might not have thought of putting the news in the paper unless
it had occurred to him that the selectmen should have been on hand to
prevent the earthquake, upon which he would have had a glorious article,
not on the earthquake, but on the failure of a free American
commonwealth, in this enlightened twentieth century, to secure
efficiency in the conduct of the simplest of its public affairs.

But truly historic events get themselves reported even through the
densest mediums. I saw the Captain with my own eyes as he wrote:

What has become of the officer of the law in Hempfield? A
strange young man was seen coming down Main Street
yesterday afternoon in a condition which made him a sad
example for the lads of Hempfield, many of whom were
following him. Is this an orderly and law-abiding town or is
it not?

I may say in passing that the Captain's inquiry: "What has become of the
officer of the law in Hempfield?" was purely rhetorical. The Captain
knew perfectly well where Steve Lewis was at that critical moment, for
he had looked over the fence of Steve's yard as he passed, and saw that
officer of the law, in a large blue apron, helping his wife hang out the
week's washing. But how could one put that in the _Star_?

Such was the exact wording of that historic item. By some chance it did
not meet the eagle eye of Ed Smith until the completely printed paper,
still moist from the press, was placed in his hands. Then his eye fell
upon it.

"Who wrote this item about a strange young man?" he asked.

"I think the Captain got it," said Anthy.

"Well!" exclaimed Ed, "that must be the very chap I have just hired to
help Fergus."

He paused a moment, reflectively.

"I got him dirt cheap, too," said he.

And this was the way in which Norton Carr was plunged into the whirl of
life at Hempfield.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER V

NORT

I love Norton Carr very much, as he well knows, but if I am to tell a
truthful story I may as well admit, first as last, that Nort was never
quite sure how it was that he got off, or was put off, at Hempfield. In
making this admission, however, I do not for a moment accept all the
absurd stories which are afloat regarding Nort's arrival in Hempfield.

He says the first thing he remembers clearly was of standing in the
street at the top of our common, looking down into Hempfield--one of the
finest views in our town. The exact hi