for me now. All that I am worrying about is that this affair may get to
father and mother. It would simply worry them both to death, and it mustn't
be. I hope you wouldn't be so cruel, so wicked, as to add to their
troubles."

"I shall not write to them until you have confessed."

"Confessed!" cried Frank hotly. "There is nothing to confess. Don't I tell
you that I never saw old man Mace's bracelet? Aunt Tib, I am ashamed of
you. I tell you, I'm holding in a good deal. If I thought you believed that
man's story I'd leave the house for good."

"You mustn't do that, Frank," she said quickly. "We must bear our crosses
patiently."

"It's no use; I'm just fighting mad," declared Frank to himself as he left
the house. "I just hope Mace and Roseberry will do something to bring
affairs to a focus. If this thing gets around the village, it will be a
nice, pleasant thing for me, won't it, now? I've half a mind to make a
break and get out of it all."

Frank was in a decidedly disturbed state of mind. From being angry he got
dejected, and for some time he allowed his thoughts to wander unrestrained.
He actually envied Ned Foreman and his wandering career. If it had not been
for his loyalty to his parents he would have hunted up the grinding wagon
to ask the man who had relieved Ned to give him a job.

It would not have been so hard for Frank if he had had any close chum to
whom he could have confided his troubles. But Miss Brown had spoiled all
that. She kept the garden like a parlor, and scared away what few