Cartwill chose
Mrs. Farnsworth and her rival selected the husband of the dashing young
woman. Mr. Reddon firmly and significantly announced his determination
to sit near the teacher "to preserve order," and not enter the contest
of words.

Possibly it was the presence of the strangers that rattled and unnerved
the famed spellers of both sides, for it was not long until the lines
had dwindled to almost nothing. Three or four arrogant competitors stood
forth and valiantly spelled such words as "Popocatepetl,"
"Tschaikowsky," "terpsichorean," "Yang-tse-Kiang," "Yseult," and scores
of words that could scarcely be pronounced by the teacher herself. But
at last, just as the sleepy watchers began to nod and yawn the hardest,
Mrs. Cartwill stood alone and victorious, her single opponent having
gone down on the word "sassafras." Anderson Crow had "gone down" early
in the match by spelling "kerosene" "kerry-seen." Ed Higgins followed
with "ceriseen," and 'Rast Little explosively had it "coal-oil."

During the turmoil incident to the dispersing of the gathered hosts Miss
Banks made her way to 'Rast Little's side and informed him that the
Farnsworths were to take her to Mrs. Holabird's in their big sleigh.
'Rast was floored. When he started to remonstrate, claiming to be her
"company," big Tom Reddon interposed and drew Miss Banks away from her
lover's wrath.

"But I'm so sorry for him, Tom," she protested contritely. "He _did_
bring me here--in a way."

"Well, I'll take you home another way," said good-looking Mr. Reddon. It
was also noticed that Rosalie Gray had much of a confidential nature to
say to Miss Banks as they parted for the evening, she to go home in
Blucher Peabody's new sleigh.

'Rast and Ed Higgins almost came to blows out at the hitch-rack, where
the latter began twitting his discomfited rival. Anderson Crow kept them
apart.

"I'll kill that big dude," growled 'Rast. "He's got no business comin'
here an' rakin' up trouble between me an' her. You mark my words, I'll
fix him before the night's over, doggone his hide!"

At least a dozen men, including Alf Reesling, heard this threat, and not
one of them was to forget it soon. Anderson Crow noticed that Mrs.
Holabird's bob-sled drove away without either Miss Banks or 'Rast
Little in its capacious depths. Miss Banks announced that her three
friends from the city and she would stay behind and close the
schoolhouse, putting everything in order. It was Friday nig