face of "Shadbelly" Billson (village nickname), he was sure some

neighbour of Billson's had broken his leg, but inquiry showed that this

had not happened. The subdued ecstasy in Gregory Yates's face could mean

but one thing--he was a mother-in-law short; it was another mistake. "And

Pinkerton--Pinkerton--he has collected ten cents that he thought he was

going to lose." And so on, and so on. In some cases the guesses had to

remain in doubt, in the others they proved distinct errors. In the end

Halliday said to himself, "Anyway it roots up that there's nineteen

Hadleyburg families temporarily in heaven: I don't know how it happened;

I only know Providence is off duty to-day."

An architect and builder from the next State had lately ventured to set

up a small business in this unpromising village, and his sign had now

been hanging out a week. Not a customer yet; he was a discouraged man,

and sorry he had come. But his weather changed suddenly now. First one

and then another chief citizen's wife said to him privately:

Come to my house Monday week--but say nothing about it for the present.

We think of building."

He got eleven invitations that day. That night he wrote his daughter and

broke off her match with her student. He said she could marry a mile

higher than that.

Pinkerton the banker and two or three other well-to-do men planned

country-seats--but waited. That kind don't count their chickens until

The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg