Part 12 (1/2)

The two walked down to the bridge, and here the young man from the city left Ralph, and went off with Bob Sanderson to see how the repairs to the sloop were coming on.

Ralph was in no happy frame of mind when left alone. He had tried only to a.s.sert his rights, but the future looked black in consequence.

Presently his mother came down from the cottage to talk matters over with him. She knew her son had gone off with Horace Kelsey to Uriah d.i.c.ks'

store.

”The squire is certainly very unreasonable,” she said, after Ralph had told his story. ”Every one around Westville knows that Percy is arrogant to the last degree.”

”That is so, mother, but, to the squire, Percy is perfection. I do not see how he can be so blind.”

”If you lose your position on the bridge, Ralph, what in the world will we do? Times are so hard in Westville.”

”I'll have to look for work in Eastport or Chambersburgh, I suppose,”

returned the son. ”But I haven't lost the job yet,” he added, as cheerfully as he could.

”But if Uriah d.i.c.ks and the postmaster and the squire are against you, they can put you out. There are only five in the committee, and three are a majority.”

Ralph was about to reply, but several pa.s.sengers had to be waited on, and he went on to collect the tolls. Then a whistle sounded from up Big Silver Lake, notifying him that a steamboat wished to pa.s.s through the draw, and the opening and closing of the bridge took ten minutes or more.

”If I were only bookkeeper enough to strike a job in one of the factories, I wouldn't care whether I lost the place here or not,” said Ralph, when he was again at leisure. ”This is a lazy sort of a job, and I would much prefer office work.”

”That is true, my son, but one must be thankful to get work of any kind now,” returned Mrs. Nelson.

”Oh, I know that, and I am not grumbling, mother, but the--what's that?”

Ralph broke off suddenly. A crash of gla.s.s, coming from the neighborhood of the cottage, sounded in their ears. The first crash was followed by half-a-dozen others in rapid succession.

”What in the world can that mean?” cried Mrs. Nelson, and, without waiting, she ran from the bridge.

Ralph looked up and down to see if any one was coming across, and, sighting none, followed.

On a run it did not take long to reach the little home by the side path.

As they neared it, Ralph pointed excitedly to the sitting-room windows.

”Look, mother,” he cried, in deep indignation. ”Some vandal has broken nearly every pane of gla.s.s in the house!”

”Perhaps there are thieves around!” returned Mrs. Nelson, quickly.

”No, they wouldn't break gla.s.s needlessly. This was done out of pure meanness.”

They hurried around to the door and into the cottage. Alas! a single glance around was enough. Fully half the panes of gla.s.s in the cottage were smashed, and on the floors of the various rooms lay a dozen stones as big as a man's hand.

”I know who did this!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Ralph, in high anger. ”Percy Paget, and no one else!”

”Would he dare?” faltered Mrs. Nelson.

”Yes; and it is just in line with his sneak-like character. I am going to see if I can find him.”