and I sympathized with you. Now I feel obliged to say thatyou will only have yourself to blame for the steps I am about to take."
The widow bowed, but did not gratify Mrs. Ross by inquiring what thosesteps were.
It was very provoking, certainly.
"I shall call on Mr. Mead, and insist on his discharging your son."
Knowing what a serious blow this would be, Mrs. Gilbert did looktroubled for a moment, and her visitor sailed away, with a slightfeeling of satisfaction, in the direction of the grocery store.
Meanwhile Harry, on his return to the store, had reported the accident, and submitted to a close cross-examination on the part of thestorekeeper.
"Do you think I am to blame, Mr. Mead?" asked Harry.
"No; I don't see how you could do otherwise than you did. Young Ross isa disagreeable young puppy; but his family trades with me, and I don'tlike to offend them. Still, I shall not blame you."
It will be seen that Mr. Mead was a just man, though a politic one.
"Thank you, sir," said Harry, relieved.
"I am sorry this has occurred."
"So am I, sir; but if I hadn't done as I did I should have been therenow, for Philip was determined not to budge."
"Well, we must smooth it over as well as we can. I presume that I shallhave a call from Colonel Ross or his wife. I hope it will be thecolonel, for he won't be so unreasonable as his lady."
It so happened that the first person whom Mrs. Ross saw when she enteredthe grocery store was Harry.
Her eyes flashed with resentment as they fell upon the persecutor of herpoor boy, but she would not waste any words upon him.
"Where is Mr. Mead?" she asked.
"I will call him, madam," answered Harry, politely.
Mr. Mead came forward, and Mrs. Ross rehearsed her story, in terms whichthe reader can imagine for himself.
"I think you misapprehend the matter, Mrs. Ross," said the storekeeper, politely. "Your son maintained his position in the middle of the roadand required Harry to do all the turning out. Of course you are awarethat the law will not sustain any one in this."
"Who told you that my son did not turn out?" asked Mrs. Ross, hastily.
"Harry himself."
"And do you credit his story?" demanded Mrs. Ross, with a sneer.
"I have always found him to be a boy of truth."
"I believe he has wilfully deceived you. I believe he ran into my boywith the intention of injuring him," said Mrs. Ross, violently.
Harry was about to speak up, when a young man who was standing by savedhim the trouble.
"I was there, Mr. Mead, and heard the whole," he said, "though neitherof the boys saw me. I was in the piece to the left, behind the hedge. Phil Ross wouldn't turn out a mite, and Harry had to do as he did. WhenPhil was thrown out Harry got down from his team and went to see if hewas hurt."
Mrs. Ross listened, pale with anger.
"I don't believe a word of it!" she said angrily. "That man is in aconspiracy with the Gilbert boy against my poor darling. I demand thatyou discharge Harry Gilbert from your employment!"
"I am sorry to disoblige you, Mrs. Ross, but it would be unjust," said
Mr. Mead.
"Then we shall buy our groceries elsewhere!" said Mrs. Ross, spitefullytossing her head.
"I shall be sorry to lose your custom, but I see no good reason fordischarging Harry."
Angrily Mrs. Ross left the store, a second time mortified at her want ofsuccess.
"I am sorry, Mr. Mead, that you are likely to lose trade on my account," said Harry, with sincere regret.
Mr. Mead smiled.
"If Mrs. Ross leaves me she will have to go five miles for hergroceries," he said quietly. "We shall have them back again beforelong."
CHAPTER IV
HARRY LOSES HIS PLACE, AFTER ALL
Mrs. Ross carried out her threat, and transferred her trade to a groceryin the neighboring village, but not without considerable inconvenience.
Her pride compelled her to the course, notwithstanding the extra troubleshe incurred, and this, also, she laid up against Harry. Her husband wasopposed to any change, not being so spiteful as his wife, but allowedher to have her way.
Meanwhile Mr. Mead, though he regretted to lose a good customer, did notshow any signs of financial weakness, and there seemed to be no prospectof his failing.
Had he done so Mrs. Ross would have been overjoyed, for she was veryangry at all who upheld "that low Gilbert boy," as she designated him.
It is said that all things come to him who waits, and circumstances wereshaping themselves in a very gratifying way to Mrs. Ross and her schemesof revenge.
One day as Harry was driving the store wagon which bore the name of hisemployer he was hailed, about a mile from the store, by a boy about hisown age, who carried in his hand a carpetbag, and appeared to be makinga journey on foot.
"Hello!" said the traveler.
"Hello!" returned Harry.
"Are you working for my uncle?" asked the stranger.
"I can tell you better when I find out who your uncle is. If you are thenephew of General Grant, or the czar of Russia, I am not working forhim."
"I see you like to joke," said the stranger. "My uncle is Mr. Mead, thestorekeeper."
"That is the name of the man I work for."
"Then I guess you had better give me a lift, for I am going to myuncle's."
"All right! Glad to have your company."
"What's your name?" asked the stranger.
"Harry Gilbert. What's yours?"
"Howard Randall."
"Where do you live?"
"I used to live at Upton, but my father is dead, and mother – she's Mrs. Mead's sister – told me I'd better come to see if Uncle Reuben wouldn'tgive me a place in his store."
Instantly it flashed upon Harry that this new boy's arrival was likelyto endanger his prospects. Mr. Mead, as he knew, had no occasion for theservices of two boys, and he would naturally give his nephew thepreference. He was not unjust enough to take a dislike to Howard inconsequence. Indeed, the new boy had a pleasant face and manner, whichled him to think he would like him for a friend.
"If I do lose my place," thought Harry, "I will put my trust in God. Idon't think He will see me or mother suffer, and I won't borrow troubleuntil it comes."
"Were you ever employed
