Nan had gone to the store that morning for a few groceries, and when she returned she was greatly excited.

"Nell, Nell," she called, as she laid her parcels on the kitchen table, "where are you?"

"Here I am," Nell replied, coming from the next room. "What is the matter? You are all hot and excited."

"They are going to arrest my musician, just think of that!"

"Arrest your musician! Mr. Handyman! Why, what for?"

"Because he hit Billy Keezer and Tom Oakes last night on the road. He cut them up pretty badly, so I heard."

Nell looked at her sister for a few seconds in an effort to comprehend the meaning of it all. Then the truth flashed upon her mind. "I am so glad I gave him that pick-handle," she said to herself. "I felt that an attack would be made upon him." To her sister, however, she merely said,

"Sit down, Nan, and tell me what you have heard."

In a few words Nan told her the story that was in circulation around the village. It was the same that Jake had related to Douglas.

"And is every one blaming Mr. Handyman?" Nell asked when Nan had finished.

"Oh, yes. And they are saying what a dangerous man he is, and should be driven out of the place. I heard the storekeeper tell another man that he stole Tom Oakes' coat last night, and that he believed that Mr. Handyman is a noted thief."

"Why, how did he get Tom's coat?" Nell asked in surprise.

"No one seemed to know for sure. But people think that he knocked Tom down and took his coat, thinking there might be money in it."

"Where did this happen, Nan?"

"On the main road, according to Billy and Tom. They said that they were walking quietly along when they were set upon by Mr. Handyman, and knocked down with a big stick. I don't believe it, do you?"

But Nell did not answer. She stood in the middle of the room gazing thoughtfully out of the window which faced the main highway.

"Come with me, Nan," she at length ordered. "Let us go for a short walk."

Somewhat surprised, but asking no questions, Nan accompanied her sister out of the house, through the garden and along the road leading to the highway. Nell kept a careful watch on both sides of the road, and when they at last came to the spot where the fight had taken place, she espied two hats lying in the ditch. Near by were two stout cudgels.

"This is where the fight took place," Nell quietly remarked, as she pointed to the hats and the sticks. "They belong to Tom and Billy, if I am not much mistaken."

"But they said it was on the main road where they were attacked," Nan replied.

"Then they must be lying. There is the proof where the fight took place. And why was it here?" she asked.

"I don't know, do you?"

"I think I do. Billy and Tom were lying in wait for Mr. Handyman last night, and attacked him as he was coming from our house."

"Oh, do you think so? What would they do that for?"

"Perhaps they were obeying orders. But we shall find out later. Let us take those hats and sticks and keep them; they may be needed later."

"Oh, I believe I know," Nan exclaimed, now much excited. "They are Si Stubbles' men, and he got them to attack my musician. Wasn't it mean of him! And then to think that Billy and Tom would lie and throw the blame on an innocent man."

Nell was very quiet during the rest of the day. She went about her work as usual, but her mind was upon other things. At times she found herself standing and looking absently out of the window. She felt quite sure who was the man responsible for the trouble the previous night. Her face was paler than it had been for some time and an occasional nervous tremor shook her body. She found herself mentally comparing two men, one, mean and contemptible, with no apparent aim in life but the satisfaction of self; the other, self-reliant, noble, and working for an honest wage. She knew that one was a miserable cad, while the other was a true gentleman.

As evening drew near, she became restless and worked with a feverish haste about the house and at times in the garden. When supper was over, she drew Nan out upon the verandah.

"Something is going to happen to-night," she told her, "and I wish you would take father to his room and read him to sleep."

"Is it that old tree affair again to-night?" Nan impatiently asked.

"Yes."

"And Ben will be there, I suppose."

"I expect he will."

"Nell, I wish you would tell him once and for all that you will not have anything more to do with him. I hate him, and so do you, and you know it."

"Hush, hush, Nan. Do not talk that way. Do as I ask you now, and perhaps I shall have something to tell you in the morning. You had better go to bed early, too."

Nell seemed to be very calm as she walked slowly to the shore and took up her position by the side of the tree. But her heart was beating rapidly, and her courage almost forsook her. When, however, she saw Ben appear from the bushes, and thought of his contemptible work of the previous evening, she became strengthened by the spirit of anger which suddenly possessed her. He seemed to her more like a serpent than a man, and she drew back a step as he approached too near.

"Surely you're not afraid of me, Nell," he chided, noting her action.

"I am not afraid," she calmly replied, "but I do not wish you to come too close, that's all."

"When are you going to stop this fooling, Nell?" he impetuously asked.

"I am going to stop it to-night, and at once," and she looked him squarely in the eyes as she spoke. "You have your answer."

He mistook her meaning, however, and reached out impulsively to put his arms around her.

"Keep away," she ordered. "Don't touch me."

"Why, what do you mean?" Ben demanded, shrinking back before her steadfast look.

"I mean that I am not going to have anything more to do with you. You can go your way, and I will go mine."

"But I thought you cared for me," the man replied in surprise.

"Haven't I told you over and over again that I did not? But you would persist in coming here, nevertheless."

"Do you mean what you say?" Ben asked, while a surly expression leaped into his eyes.

"Yes, I mean every word. You had better go now, as it will be no use for you to say anything more."

"Why didn't you tell me this before, Nell?"

"I did, plainer than any words."

"Yes, perhaps you did. But why didn't you speak, and tell me so?"

"There was a reason which it is not necessary for me to explain."

"Ah, I know the reason. I see through your little game now. You were using me as a tool, that was all. But, damn you, I'll get even with you. That little matter can soon be attended to, and then you'll find out your mistake."

Nell's face was very white and strained, and with difficulty she kept her outward calmness. Had she but realised that eyes glowing with hatred and jealousy were watching her from the bushes a short distance away, she would have broken down completely.

"I believe you are capable of doing almost anything, Ben," she replied, "and accordingly any injury you might do to us and our little home will be no surprise. I am going back to the house now. It is no use for us to talk any longer."

Nell moved away from the trees, hoping that Ben would go back the way he had come. But she was not to get clear of him so easily. He stepped quickly to her side, and demanded what she meant by the words she had just uttered.

"Surely you must know," she told him. "If I had the least spark of affection for you, which I did not have, it would have been quenched by your action at the dance in the hall, and what you did last night."

"Last night! What did I do last night?"

"You know as well as I do, and I think a great deal better. One who will hound on others to attack a lone man on a dark night is not worthy to be called a man, but should be listed with the brutes of the jungle."

An oath leaped from Ben's lips and he gripped Nell by the arm.

"Who told you that?" he growled. "How dare you make such a charge?"

"I dare make it because I know it is true. How I know it is my own affair. Let go my arm at once, and don't you touch me again."

Nell's eyes were blazing with anger now, and Ben shrank back cowed. The serpent within him could not endure the righteous indignation of the pure and noble woman before him. He knew that what she said was true, and it roused him to an uncontrollable pitch of fury.

"Ah, I know where you got your information," he twitted. "I understand why you won't have anything more to do with me. It's Jake Jukes' hired man who is at the bottom of all this. Ah, I know. He's been around here with his damn oily ways. That's the secret of the whole thing. Oh, I understand it all now."

"You think you know more than you do," Nell quietly replied. "Mr.
Handyman has told me nothing. I have not seen him since the fight."

"But you saw him last night. He was at your house."

"How do you know that?"

"Oh, I know very well."

"You were spying upon us, I suppose, sneaking around and looking in at the window. Do you call that a manly thing to do?"

Ben was getting the worst of the conversation, and he knew it.

"I'll get even with that cur," he declared. "I'll show him a thing or two."

"There, I wish to hear no more of such talk," Nell replied. "I am going into the house." She started to leave, but Ben stopped her.

"Just a minute before you go," he growled. "You have thrown me over, and you think you are done with me. But, remember, Nell Strong, I'm not a man to be fooled with. You'll regret this sooner than you imagine."

"Is that a threat?" she asked. "You are careless of your words."

"You can call it what you like, I don't care. You may scorn me now, but my turn will come."

Waiting to hear no more, Nell left him, hurried into the house and closed the door. She partly expected him to follow her, so she stood for a while in the middle of the kitchen listening with fast-beating heart. After she had waited for several minutes and no sound was heard outside, she lighted the lamp and drew down the blinds. Then she sat down upon a chair by the side of the table and buried her face in her hands. She was very tired and almost heartbroken over what had just taken place. She knew how vindictive Ben would be, and when she thought of her helpless father and sister and what her decision might mean to them, she almost repented of her action. But when she thought of Ben and what a creature he really was, she felt that anything was better than to be in the least manner connected with him. Let him do his utmost, there would still be some way, surely, whereby they could make a living.

She sat thus for some time, and it seemed to her as if her brain must burst from the confusion of thought. She must do something to relieve her strained feelings. There was plenty to be done, and she at once began to fold some clothes which had been left over from the previous day's washing, and which she had not had time to iron. Her fingers moved rapidly, keeping pace with her thoughts.

She had been engaged at this work but a short time when she heard a step at the door. Then there was the sound of some one lifting the latch. Could it be Ben coming? she asked herself. What would she do? What could she say to him? As she stood there hesitating, the door slowly opened, and instead of Ben, Jean Benton stood before her. Nell breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her, though the expression upon the girl's face startled her.

"Oh, Jean!" she exclaimed, "how you did frighten me! Come and sit down, for you look tired."

Jean made no reply but stood there with her eyes fixed upon Nell's face. They were wild eyes, and they caused Nell to tremble. Was Jean mad? she wondered, and what would she do with her? What did she want, anyway?

"Won't you sit down?" she asked, not knowing what else to say.

Jean took a step or two forward, and so fierce was her look that Nell shrank back.

"Jean, Jean, what's the matter?" she demanded. "Why do you look at me that way?"

Jean suddenly lifted her right hand, and pointed her forefinger at the trembling woman before her.

"You stole him from me," she hissed. "You took him away when I needed him most. Ah, that is what you have done, and you needn't try to deny it."

For an instant Nell was unable to comprehend the meaning of Jean's words. Then the truth flashed upon her mind. The girl was mad with jealousy. She imagined that she had stolen Ben from her.

"Jean, Jean, listen to me," she pleaded. "I haven't taken Ben from you, if that is what you mean. He came to me of his own accord, and I have refused to have anything more to do with him."

"You lie!" the half-crazed woman cried. "I saw you together to-night, talking by the tree and by the house. His arm was around you. I saw it all, and you needn't deny it."

"Listen to me," Nell ordered, now much annoyed. "Won't you believe me? I tell you I have not taken him from you. He was with me to-night for the last time. I told him to go and never to come back again. Why do you blame me? Ben is the one to blame. If he has deserted you, why don't you go to him?"

"He isn't to blame," Jean cried. "Don't try to clear yourself, Nell
Strong. You have stolen him, and you know it. But you won't have him.
He shall never be yours."

Quick as a flash, Jean thrust her right hand into the bosom of her dress, and ripped forth a sharp knife. Like a tiger she sprang upon Nell. Instinctively the latter stepped back and raised her left arm to ward off the blow, which thus received the knife meant for her heart. With almost superhuman effort Nell hurled her assailant from her, drew forth the knife from the quivering flesh, and threw it behind her. The blood was streaming from her arm, but she kept her eyes fixed upon the baffled girl before her, not knowing what she might do next. But the sight of blood seemed to satisfy Jean. She gloated over her deed, and with a wild mocking laugh, she opened the door and sped out into the night.

With a great effort Nell overcame the deathly feeling of faintness which came upon her. Quickly she locked the door, and then turned her attention to her injured arm. The wound was still bleeding profusely, and it was with considerable difficulty that she was at length able to stop the flow of blood. The gash was not as deep as she had first expected. The knife in falling had struck a glancing blow just below the shoulder on the outer part of the arm. For this Nell was thankful, but she shuddered as she thought of what her assailant really intended to do.

When the wound had been carefully bound up, Nell sat down by the side of the table and thought over what had just taken place. But for the pain in her arm she might have considered it nothing more than a terrible dream. She had never imagined that Jean, who in the past had been so gentle, good, and loving, could be so changed. But she knew that jealousy was the cause, and jealousy could be as cruel as the grave.

After she had burnt up the clothes with which she had staunched the wound, and wiped up the stains on the floor, Nell went slowly up to her own room. But she could not sleep, for the excitement through which she had recently passed caused her brain to throb and her head to ache. She tossed restlessly upon her bed, and finding that she could get no rest she got up and paced rapidly up and down the room. At times she thought she would go mad like Jean, as she recalled all that had taken place. She glanced into the mirror, and was astonished at the haggard face which confronted her there. What was she to do?

Presently her eyes rested upon her mother's picture hanging on the wall. She studied it lovingly and longingly, and then, "Mother! Mother!" burst from her lips. "Oh, I want you, I want you! Come to me to-night, and comfort me as of old."

And as she stood there her mother's parting words came to her mind.
"Nellie," she had said, "you are young and a great responsibility rests
upon you. You will fail if you try to bear it alone. There is One to
Whom you can always go, and He will help you in all your troubles."

At once a new light came into her eyes. There was One who had promised to help. Why had she forgotten Him? Kneeling down by the side of her bed, she prayed as she had never prayed before. And as she thus knelt, a new peace stole into her heart, and it seemed to her as if a divine presence pervaded the room, bringing a restful balm to her weary body and mind.