Cleveland County herald., 1919-04-24
CHAPTER xIV-continued.
So saying he handed me this letter:
 Canterbury, Vt,

June l.
 Dear Sir.-I am interested in the boy Barton Baynes. Good words about him have been flying around like pigeons. When school is out I would like to hear from you, what is the rec ord? What do you think of the soul in him? What kind of work is best for it? If you will let me maybe l can help the plans of God a little That Is my business and yours. Thanking you for reading this, I am, as ever,
 Gods humble servant,
 KATE FULLERTON"
 'Why, this is the writing of the Si- lent Woman" said before I had read the letter half through.
 ''Rovin Kate?"
 Rowing Kate; I never knew her oth- CT name, but I saw her handwriting long ago."
 But look-this is a neatly written, well-worded letter an the sheet is as white and clean as the new snow. Un- canny woman They say she carries the power O God in he" right hand. So do all the wronged."
 II wonder why Kate is asking about me-" I said.
 Never mind the reason. She is your friend and let us thank God for it. Think how she came to yer help in the old barn an say thousand prayers, my lad"
 Having come to the first flight of the uplands, he left me with many a kind word-how much they mean to boy who is choosing his way with q growing sense of loneliness!
 reached the warm welcome of our little home just in time for dinner. They were expecting me and it was regular company dinner-chicken pie and strawberry shortcake.
 How we'll I remember that hour with the doors open and the sun shining brightly on the blossoming fields and the joy of man and bird and beast in the return of summer and the talk about the late visit of Alma Jones and MT. and Mrs. Lincoln
 While we were eating I told them about the letter of old Kate.
 'Fullerton !' Aunt Deel exclaimed. Are ye sure that was the name, Bart?"
 "Yes."
 "Goodness gracious sakes alive!"
 She and Uncle Peabody gave each other looks of surprised inquiry.
 Do you know anybody by that name?" I asked.
 "We used to-" said Aunt Deel as she resumed her eating Cant be she's one O the Sam Fullertons, can it?"
 "Oh, prob'ly not" said Uncle Pea body. Rack East theys more Fuller tons than ye could shake stick at"
 A week later we had our raising. Uncle Peabody did not want a public raising, but Aunt Deel had had her way. We had hewed and mortiSed and bored the timbers for our new home. The neighborS came with bikes and helped to raise and stay and cover them. A great amount of human kind ness went into the beams and rafterS of that home and of others like it. l knew that The Thing was still alive in the neighborhood, but even that could not paralyze the helpful hands of those people. Indeed, what was said of my Uncle Peabody was nothing more or less than kind of conversa- tlonal firewood. I cannot think that any one really believed it.
 We had cheerful day. A barrel of hard cider had been set up in the door, yard, and remember that some drank it too freely. The he-o-hee of the men as they lifted on the bikes and the sound of the hammer and beetle rang in the air from morning until night. Mrs. Rodney Barnes and Mrs. Dorothy came to help Aunt Deel with the cook ing and great dinner was served on an improvised table in the dooryard, where the stove was set up. The shingles and sheathes and claRboard were on before the day ended.
 Uncle Peabody and I put in the floors and stairway and partitions. More than once in the days we were working together I tried to tell him what Sally had told me, but my cour- age failed.
 The day came, shortly, when I had to speak out, and I took the straight way of my duty as the needle of the compass pointed. It was the end of a summer day and we had watched the dusk fill the valley and come creeping up the slant, sinking the powders and thorn tops in it's flood, one by one. As we sat looking out of the open door Shat evening I told them what Sally had told me of the evil report which had travelled through the two towns.
 Damn, little Souled, narrer con- tracted-' Uncle Peabody, speaking in low, sad tone, but with deep feeling, cut off this highly promising opinion before 1t was half expressed, and rose and went to the water pail and drank. "As long as we're honest we don't care what they say" he remarked as he returned to his chair.
 If they won't believe us, we ought to show 'em the papers-ayes," said Aunt Deel.