"Don't care nothin' what it costs," said Mr. Peaslee, who was in a hurry for fear lest he should think twice.

   When he came out of the store with the harmonica in his hands, he almost stumbled into Miss Ware. She was on her way to Jim, and, of course, her mind was full of his affairs. Here was Mr. Edwards's next neighbor. She impulsively stopped to ask if the misguided father still held to his resolution about Jim.

   Mr. Peaslee had reason to know that he did, and said so. "I tell ye,

   Miss Ware," said he, with much emotion, "he belongs to a stony-hearted generation, and that's a fact. He ain't got any compassion in him, seems though."

   "It's a shame, a perfect shame!" exclaimed Nancy.

   "'T ain't right," said Mr. Peaslee, with a warmth which surprised the young woman, and made her warm to this old man, whom she had always thought so selfish. "'T ain't right—your own flesh and blood so."

   "Well," said Miss Ware, "I'm going to the jail now. I want to see Jimmie. It must be awful there."

   "Well, now, that's real kind of

   ye," responded Mr. Peaslee. "I wonder now if you'd mind taking this along to him," and he offered her the paper parcel. "It's a harmonica, I guess they call it. It's real handsome. It cost consid'able—a pretty consid'able sum. I feel kinder sorry for the leetle feller, and I don't grudge it a mite." And he kept repeating, in a tone which suggested whistling to keep your courage up, "Not a mite, not a mite."

   Miss Ware smothered a laugh on hearing what the present was. She must not hurt the feelings of this kind old man!

   "Oh," said the little hypocrite,

   "that's nice! Jimmie'll be so pleased."

   But perhaps the harmonica pleased Jim as much as the schoolbooks which the school-teacher, with a solicitous eye on her pupil's standing in his studies, was taking to him. Saying good-by to Mr. Peaslee, Miss Ware, books and harmonica in hand, went on her way to visit the afflicted boy in his dungeon. Meanwhile Jim, turning the wringer for Mrs. Calkins, and listening to her stories of "Mark's" prowess with all sorts of malefactors, was having an excellent time. He had decided to be a sheriff when he grew up.

    T

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