"I'm thinking," Mary Terhune broke in, "that the mingling with such as visits at the Lodge has upset the young miss. Her airs and graces! Lord of heaven! how she has flouted the rest of the young uns! Aye, but they are mouthing about her this day! 'Me and her,' said Jerry-Jo to me this early morning, 'me and her got caught up in the woods, and, understanding one another, we chose the dry to the wet, and brought things to a point. Her and me will make tracks for the States. It's all evened up.' And I do say," Mary went on, "that all considering, Jerry-Jo is doing the handsome thing. I ain't picking flaws in her—maybe she's as clean as the cleanest, but there's them who wouldn't believe it, as you both very well know."
This last was to include Mrs. McAdam, who had issued from the closet with an ugly look on her thin, dark face.
"You old harpies!" she cried, striding to the middle of the big room and getting into position for an oratorical outburst. "You two blighted old midwives as ought, heaven knows, to have mercy on women; you who see the tortures of women! You would take a girl's name from her on the word of that half-breed, who would sooner lie than steal—and both are easy to the whelp. That girl is the straightest girl that ever walked, and no evil has come to her from my house. A word more like that, Mary Terhune, and you'll never share my home again, and as for you, Jean, you who helped the lass into life, what kind of a snake-heart have you?"
Mary McAdam had both women trembling before her.
"I'll go up to Lonely Farm myself," screamed she, "and if Glenn and his poor little slave-wife are doing the low trick by their girl, as God hears me, I'll take her for my own, and turn you both back to the trade you dishonour!"
Anton Farwell, passing near the window, heard this and went his way.
Later old Jerry McAlpin came to him on the wharf where the men were gathered to meet the incoming steamer.
"Lordy! Master Farwell," quavered Jerry; "while I was out on the bay this early morning, my lad, what all the town is humming about, goes to my home and takes everything—everything of any vally and leaves this——"
McAlpin passed a dirty piece of paper to Farwell.
"I'm going to get out on the steamer. Going to the States, and had to have the stuff to get away with. I—ain't—alone! I'm going down the Channel to board the steamer where it stops for gasoline. Don't follow me for God's sake. I'll pay you back and more."