and stared out. On the edge of the porch stood a tallish man in a
double-breasted frock coat.

"Mr. Worthington!" exclaimed the storekeeper.

Mr. Worthington coughed and pulled at one of his mutton-chop whiskers,
and seemed about to step off the porch again. It was, indeed, the first
citizen and reformer of Brampton. No wonder William Wetherell was
mystified.

"Can I do anything for you?" he asked. "Have you missed your way?"

Wetherell thought he heard him muttering, "No, no," and then he was
startled by another voice in his ear. It was Jethro who was standing
beside him.

"G-guess he hain't missed his way a great deal. Er--come in--come in."

Mr. Worthington took a couple of steps forward.

"I understood that you were to be alone," he remarked, addressing Jethro
with an attempted severity of manner.

"Didn't say so--d-didn't say so, did I?" answered Jethro.

"Very well," said Mr. Worthington, "any other time will do for this
little matter."

"Er--good night," said Jethro, shortly, and there was the suspicion of a
gleam in his eye as Mr. Worthington turned away. The mill-owner, in fact,