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she continued with the same half…weary expression： 〃Don't let us go
over all that again either。 It is SO tiresome。 Listen； dear。
You'll do one or two little things for mewon't you； dandy boy？
Don't linger long at the school…house after lessons。 Go right
home！ Don't look after these men TO…DAYto…morrow； Saturday； is
your holidayyou knowand you'll have more time。 Keep to
yourself to…day as much as you can； dear； for twelve hoursuntil
untilyou hear from me； you know。 It will be all right then；〃 she
added； lifting her eyelids with a sudden odd resemblance to her
father's look of drowsy pain； which Ford had never noticed before。
〃Promise me that； dear； won't you？〃
With a mental reservation he promised hurriedlypreoccupied in his
wonder why she seemed to avoid his explanation； in his desire to
know what had happened； in the pride that had kept him from asking
more or volunteering a defence； and in his still haunting sense of
having been wronged。 Yet he could not help saying as he caught and
held her hand：
〃YOU have not doubted me； Cressy？ YOU have not allowed this
infamous raking up of things that are past and gone to alter your
feelings？〃
She looked at him abstractedly。 〃You think it might alter ANYBODY'S
feelings； then？〃
〃Nobody's who really loved another〃he stammered。
〃Don't let us talk of it any more；〃 she said suddenly stretching
out her arms； lifting them above her head with a wearied gesture；
and then letting them fall clasped before her in her old habitual
fashion。 〃It makes my head ache； what with Paw and Maw and the
rest of themI'm sick of it all。〃
She turned away as Ford drew back coldly and let her hand fall from
his arm。 She took a few steps forward； stopped； ran back to him
again； crushed his face and head in a close embrace； and then
seemed to dip like a bird into the tall bracken； and was gone。
The master stood for some moments chagrined and bewildered； it was
characteristic of his temperament that he had paid less heed to
what she told him than what he IMAGINED had passed between her
mother and herself。 She was naturally jealous of the lettershe
could forgive her for that； she had doubtless been twitted about
them； but he could easily explain them to her parentsas he would
have done to her。 But he was not such a fool as to elope with her
at such a moment； without first clearing his characterand knowing
more of hers。 And it was equally characteristic of him that in his
sense of injury he confounded her with the writer of the letters
as sympathizing with his correspondent in her estimate of his
character； and was quite carried away with the belief that he was
equally wronged by both。
It was not until he reached the schoolhouse that the evidences of
last night's outrage for a time distracted his mind from his
singular interview。 He was struck with the workmanlike manner in
which the locks had been restored； and the care that had evidently
been taken to remove the more obvious and brutal traces of
burglary。 This somewhat staggered his theory that Seth Davis was
the perpetrator； mechanical skill and thoughtfulness were not among
the lout's characteristics。 But he was still more disconcerted on
pushing back his chair to find a small india…rubber tobacco pouch
lying beneath it。 The master instantly recognized it： he had seen
it a hundred times beforeit was Uncle Ben's。 It was not there
when he had closed the room yesterday afternoon。 Either Uncle Ben
had been there last night； or had anticipated him this morning。
But in the latter case he would scarcely have overlooked his fallen
propertythat； in the darkness of the night； might have readily
escaped detection。 His brow darkened with a sudden conviction that
it was Uncle Ben who was the real and only offender； and that his
simplicity of the previous night was part of his deception。 A
sickening sense that he had been again dupedbut why or to what
purpose he hardly dared to thinkovercame him。 Who among these
strange people could he ever again trust？ After the fashion of
more elevated individuals； he had accepted the respect and kindness
of those he believed his inferiors as a natural tribute to his own
superiority； any change in THEIR feelings must therefore be
hypocrisy or disloyalty； it never occurred to him that HE might
have fallen below their standard。
The arrival of the children and the resumption of his duties for a
time diverted him。 But although the morning's exercise restored
the master's self…confidence； it cannot be said to have improved
his judgment。 Disdaining to question Rupert Filgee； as the
possible confidant of Uncle Ben； he answered the curious inquiries
of the children as to the broken doorlock with the remark that it
was a matter that he should have to bring before the Trustees of
the Board； and by the time that school was over and the pupils
dismissed he had quite resolved upon this formal disposition of it。
In spite of Cressy's warningrather because of itin the new
attitude he had taken towards her and her friends； he lingered in
the school…house until late。 He had occupied himself in drawing up
a statement of the facts； with an intimation that his continuance
in the school would depend upon a rigid investigation of the
circumstances； when he was aroused by the clatter of horses' hoofs。
The next moment the school…house was surrounded by a dozen men。
He looked up； half of them dismounted and entered the room。 The
other half remained outside darkening the windows with their
motionless figures。 Each man carried a gun before him on the
saddle； each man wore a rude mask of black cloth partly covering
his face。
Although the master was instinctively aware that he was threatened
by serious danger； he was far from being impressed by the arms and
disguise of his mysterious intruders。 On the contrary； the obvious
and glaring inconsistency of this cheaply theatrical invasion of
the peaceful school…house； of this opposition of menacing figures
to the scattered childish primers and text…books that still lay on
the desks around him； only extracted from him a half scornful smile
as he coolly regarded them。 The fearlessness of ignorance is often
as unassailable as the most experienced valor； and the awe…
inspiring invaders were at first embarrassed and then humanly
angry。 A lank figure to the right made a forward movement of
impotent rage； but was checked by the evident leader of the party。
〃Ef he likes to take it that way； there ain't no Regulators law
agin it； I reckon；〃 he said； in a voice which the master instantly
recognized as Jim Harrison's； 〃though ez a gin'ral thing they don't
usually find it FUN。〃 Then turning to the master he added； 〃Mister
Ford； ef that's the name you go by everywhere； we're wantin' a man
about your size。〃
Ford knew that he was in hopeless peril。 He knew that he was
physically defenceless and at the mercy of twelve armed and lawless
men。 But he retained a preternatural clearness of perception； and
audacity born of unqualified scorn for his antagonists； with a
feminine sharpness of tongue。 In a voice which astonished even
himself by its contemptuous distinctness； he said： 〃My name IS
Ford； but as I only SUPPOSE your name is Harrison perhaps you'll be
fair enough to take that rag from your face and show it to me like
a man。〃
The man removed the mask from his face with a slight laugh。
〃Thank you；〃 said Ford。 〃Now； perhaps you will tell me which one
of you gentlemen broke into the school…house； forced the lock of my
desk； and stole my papers。 If he is here I wish to tell him he is
not only a thief； but a cur and a coward； for the letters are a
woman'swhom he neither knows nor has the right to know。〃
If he had hoped to force a personal quarrel and trust his life to
the chance of a single antagonist； he was disappointed； for
although his unexpected attitude had produced some effect among the
group； and even attracted the attention of the men at the windows；
Harrison strode deliberately towards him。
〃That kin wait；〃 he said； 〃jest now we propose to take you and your
letters and drop 'em and you outer this yer township of Injin
Springs。 You kin take 'em back to the woman or critter you got 'em
of。 But we kalkilate you're a little too handy and free in them
sorter things to teach school round yer； and we kinder allow we
don't keer to hev our gals and boys eddicated up to your high…toned
standard。 So ef you choose to kem along easy we'll mak' you
comf'ble on a hoss we've got waitin' outside； an' escort you across
the line。 Ef you don'twe'll take you anyway。〃
The master cast a rapid glance around him。 In his quickness of
perception he had already noted that the led horse among the
cavalcade was fastened by a lariat to one of the riders so that
escape by flight was impossible； and that he had not a single
weapon to defend himself