tsy Godfrey off her place?"

"Who said I turned her off? I've been carrying that mortgage for so long
it's gray-headed. I can't be Santa Claus for the whole town. Business is
business, and I've got to look out for myself."

"Ye-es, I s'pose that's so. Still, folks talk, and Seth's got lots of
friends."

"Eri, I ain't denying that you could do a heap to hurt me if you wanted
to, but I don't know why you should. I've always been square with you,
far's I know. What have you got against me?"

"Oh, nuthin', nuthin'! Didn't I hear you was tryin' to get that Harniss
teacher to come down here and take Carrie Nixon's place when she got
married?"

"Well, I thought of her. She's all night, isn't she?"

"Yes, I s'pose she is. 'Twould be better if she lived in Orham, maybe,
and folks couldn't say you went out of town for a teacher when you could
have had one right from home. Then, she's some relation of your cousin,
ain't she? 'Course, that's all right, but--well, you can't pay attention
to everything that's said."

"Could have got one right from home! Who'd we get? Dave Eldredge's girl,
I suppose. I heard she was after it."

The conversation that followed was in a lower tone, and Elsie heard but
little of it. She heard enough, however, to infer that Captain Eri was
still the disinterested friend, and that Solomon was very anxious to
retain that friendship. After a while the striking of matches indicated
that fresh cigars were being lighted, and then the pair rose from their
chairs, and entered the outer office. Mr. Bangs was very gracious,
exceedingly so.

"Miss Preston," he said, "Cap'n Hedge tells me that it--er--might be
possible for us--er--for the town to secure--er--to--in short, for us to
have you for our teacher in the upstairs room. It ain't necessary for me
to say that--er--a teacher from Radcliffe don't come our way very often,
and that we--that is, the town of Orham, would--er--feel itself lucky if
you'd be willing to come."

"Of course, I told him, Elsie," said Captain Eri, "that you wouldn't
think of comin' for forty-five dollars a month or anything like that. Of
course, 'tisn't as though you really needed the place."

"I understand, I understand," said the pompous committeeman. "I think
that can be arranged. I really think--er--Miss Preston, that there ain't
any reason why you can't consider it settled. Ahem!"

Elsie thanked him, trying her best not to smile, and they were bowed
out by the great man, w