shrugging his shoulders, "you hadbetter undertake the management of the affair. I am very busy, and can'tspare the necessary time."
"I will!" said Mrs. Ross, with alacrity. "I will call on the boy'smother, and also on Mr. Mead."
"Don't be too extreme, Lucinda. Remember, it isn't a hanging matter."
"I am not so sure but it ought to be. My poor child might have brokenhis neck. Oh, it makes my blood run cold when I think that he might belying lifeless before me at this moment."
"Don't say such things, mother," said Philip, nervously, unpleasantlyaffected by the picture his mother had drawn.
"I can't help saying it, for it might have happened."
"Where are you going to first, mother?" asked Philip.
"I will go first and call on Widow Gilbert. I consider her responsible, for if she had brought up the boy better this would never havehappened."
"May I go with you?"
"No; I would rather go alone."
If Philip had only been scarred, or had a wound to show, his motherwould have taken him with her, to make her reproof more effective, but, as he showed no marks of the encounter, she saw no advantage in hispresence.
"You just give it to her, mother," said Philip, in a tone ofsatisfaction.
"I shall know what to say, my son."
"Just frighten her, and make her think we are going to have Harryarrested."
"I shall make her understand that the boy has done a very serious thing, and has made himself amenable to the law."
"That's right, mother. Harry is too airy altogether. He seems to thinkthat I am no better than he is – a common working boy like him!"
Mrs. Ross sailed out of the room, and dressed herself with unusual care, not out of respect for Mrs. Gilbert, but rather with the purpose ofimpressing her with her grandeur.
CHAPTER III
MRS. ROSS MAKES TWO UNSATISFACTORY VISITS
It was very seldom that Mrs. Ross condescended to visit her poorerneighbors, and it was, therefore, not without considerable surprise thatMrs. Gilbert called to the door about eleven o'clock, just as she hadput on the potatoes to boil for dinner – recognized in the visitor on thedoorstep Mrs. Colonel Ross.
"Pray come in, Mrs. Ross. I am glad to see you," said the widow.
"I will come in for five minutes," said Mrs. Ross, carefully gatheringup her skirts, lest they should be soiled as she entered the humblecottage. She need not have been alarmed, for there was not a cleanerhouse in the village.
Mrs. Gilbert brought forward the most comfortable chair in her littlesitting-room, and the visitor seated herself.
"I am come on an unpleasant errand, Mrs. Gilbert," she commenced, frigidly.
"Unpleasant!" repeated the widow, with quick apprehension. "Has anythinghappened to my boy to Harry?"
Improbable as it seemed that in such an event Mrs. Ross should be themessenger of ill tidings, it occurred to Mrs. Gilbert that she had cometo inform her of an accident to Harry.
The visitor's lips curled. What did it matter, she thought, whetheranything happened to him or not?
"Something has happened to my boy!" she said, with emphasis.
"I am very sorry," said the widow, with quick sympathy. "I hope he isnot hurt."
"He might have had his neck broken," said Mrs. Ross; "and by your son," she added, spitefully.
"They haven't been fighting, have they?" asked Mrs. Gilbert, nervously.
"No; but your son deliberately and maliciously, while driving Mr. Mead'sstore wagon, drove into my son's light buggy, damaged it seriously, andmy poor Philip was thrown out. Your son drove off, leaving himinsensible by the roadside."
It will be perceived that Mrs. Ross had somewhat embellished the story, with the intention of producing a greater effect.
"Was Philip much hurt?" asked the widow, anxiously.
"He providentially escaped any serious injury, so far as we know. He mayhave suffered some internal injuries."
"I am sorry to hear that there has been any difficulty," said the widow, regaining her composure when she learned that neither of the two boyswere hurt; "but I cannot accept your account. Harry is quite incapableof deliberately and maliciously running into Philip."
"I regret that you uphold your son in his wickedness," said Mrs. Ross, coldly; "but I am not surprised. I told my husband before I set out thatyou would probably do so."
"Mrs. Ross," said the widow, in a dignified tone, "I have known my boyfor fifteen years, and watched him carefully, and I tell you positivelythat he wouldn't do what you have charged upon him."
"Do you question my statement?" demanded Mrs. Ross, haughtily.
"Did you witness the encounter?"
"No; but my son, who is the soul of truth, told me all thecircumstances."
"Your son was probably angry with Harry, and could not be depended uponto give an impartial statement."
"Slander him as much as you please," said the visitor, angrily. "I haveacquainted you with your son's outrageous conduct, and this is all Iproposed. Of course we shall expect you or your son to pay for thedamage done to the buggy, and he will be fortunate if we do not have himarrested for assault and battery."
Mrs. Gilbert did not look as much terrified as Mrs. Ross expected.
"I am very poor, as you know," she replied; "but if Harry is really toblame for what has happened, I will do all that I can to repair theinjury."
"I am glad to see that you are talking more sensibly."
"Don't misunderstand me," said the widow. "I have not heard Harry'sstatement yet. From what I know of him, I presume that Philip was morein fault than he. Of course, in that case, I shall not feel called uponto pay anything."
"Of course!" sneered Mrs. Ross; "your son will throw all the blame on mypoor boy. Fortunately, we have laws; and it will be the law that mustdecide this matter. It isn't for you to decide whether you will pay ornot."
This was meant as a threat, but Mrs. Gilbert answered, calmly:
"You won't need to invoke the law, if you have a just claim."
Mrs. Ross rose, for there seemed no more to say. She was considerablydisappointed with the result of her mission. She supposed, as a matterof course, that the widow would defend her son; but she had not supposedthat she would receive so calmly her threats of having recourse to thelaw.
Indeed, she had expected that the widow would beg and plead for mercy, and appear panic-stricken. As it was, she felt that she was retiringfrom the contest decidedly worsted. She would not leave without oneparting shot.
"I regret, Mrs. Gilbert," she said, seriously, "that you defend your sonin this high-handed outrage. I had thought better of you. I knew youwere
