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 poor, 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 in a store?" he asked, pleasantly.

"No; that is, not regularly. I have been in our grocery store at homefor a few days at a time, when the storekeeper's son was sick."

"You look as if you were about my age."

"I am sixteen. My birthday came last month."

"Then you are a little older. I am not sixteen yet."

"You look stronger than I. I should think you were older."

Harry felt flattered. All boys like to be considered strong and largefor their age, and our hero was no exception to the general rule in thisrespect.

"I don't know about that," he answered. "I guess we are a pretty goodmatch. How far off is Upton?"

"Fifty miles."

"You haven't walked all the way, have you?" inquired Harry, insurprise.

"Every step," said Howard, proudly. "You see, money isn't very plentywith us, and I told mother I didn't mind walking. I got a lift for a fewmiles the first day, so I haven't walked quite all the way."

"You and I seem to be situated pretty much the same way," said Harry. "Ihave no father, and we have hard work to get along."

"You seem like a tiptop fellow. I think I shall like you."

"The same to you," said Harry, smiling. "I am glad you are coming to

Greenville to live."

Harry was sincere enough in his words, so far as his impressions aboutthe boy went, but when he reflected that through him he was likely tolose his place he felt a little troubled.

"Look here!" said Howard, suddenly; "will you lose your place if uncletakes me into his store?"

"I don't think he will need two boys," replied Harry, soberly.

"Then I'd better see if I can't find a place somewhere else. I don'twant to take away your place, if you are poor and need the money unclepays you."

"I do need it, but I guess something else will turn up for me. You are

Mr. Mead's nephew, and ought to have it."

"I hope we shall be friends, at any rate," said Howard, warmly.

"I am sure we shall, Howard," returned Harry, cordially, who feltattracted toward his new friend, in spite of the misfortune which hisarrival would bring to him personally.

Just then, within a quarter of a mile of the store, Harry saw his youngenemy, Philip Ross, approaching him.

Philip was driving his buggy, which had been repaired since theaccident.

"I wonder if he will turn out for me?" thought Harry.

Philip had learned wisdom from experience, and did turn out for thestore wagon. He knew Harry's firmness too well to put it to the test asecond time at his own expense.

"Good-morning, Philip," said Harry, in his usual manner.

Philip did not notice Harry's salutation, but held his head very high, while his face reddened and his lip curled as he drove by his lateantagonist.

"Who is that boy?" asked Howard, whose attention was drawn to Philip'ssingular conduct.

"Philip Ross, son of Colonel Ross, a rich man in town."

"Is he deaf?"

"No."

"He didn't seem to hear you say good-morning."

"Oh, yes, he did," answered Harry, laughing; "but Philip isn't very fondof me."

"Are you enemies?"

"We had a little difficulty lately, and Philip hasn't got over it yet."

"Tell me about it."

Harry told the story, and Howard fully sustained him in what he haddone.

"He must be a mean boy."

"He thinks he has more rights than common folks, such as he considersme. He tried – or, at least, his mother did – to have Mr. Mead turn meoff, but your uncle is too just a man to go against me for doing myduty."

"I noticed he gave you half the road this time," said Howard.

"Yes," answered Harry, with a smile. "He doesn't care to have his wheeltaken off again."

By this time they had reached the store, and Howard introduced himselfto his uncle. The next day the blow fell.

"Harry," said Mr. Mead, "I've got bad news for you. My nephew stands inneed of a place, and I can't afford to keep two boys. I wish I couldkeep you, too."

"I see how it is, Mr. Mead," said Harry, calmly, though his heart sankwithin him. "Howard has the best right to the place. I trust somethingwill turn up for me."

"I have been perfectly satisfied with you, and am ready to give you thehighest recommendation for honesty and fidelity."

"Thank you, Mr. Mead."

"You will stay till Saturday night, of course, unless something elseshould offer before that."

Poor Harry! His heart sank within him as he thought of the seriousdifference which the loss of his wages would make at home. The prospectof another situation was not very good, for Greenville was a small, quiet place, with very few places of business.