CHAPTER X.

A BOLD ATTEMPT.

During the next ten or eleven months poor Mrs. Trevennack had but one abiding terror--that a sudden access of irrepressible insanity might attack her husband before Cleer and Eustace could manage to get married. Trevennack, however, with unvarying tenderness, did his best in every way to calm her fears. Though no word on the subject passed between them directly, he let her feel with singular tact that he meant to keep himself under proper control. Whenever a dangerous topic cropped up in conversation, he would look across at her affectionately, with a reassuring smile. "For Cleer's sake," he murmured often, if she was close by his side; "for Cleer's sake, dearest!" and his wife, mutely grateful, knew at once what he meant, and smiled approval sadly.

Her heart was very full; her part was a hard one to play with fitting cheerfulness; but in his very madness itself she couldn't help loving, admiring, and respecting that strong, grave husband who fought so hard against his own profound convictions.

Ten months passed away, however, and Eustace Le Neve didn't seem to get much nearer any permanent appointment than ever. He began to tire at last of applying unsuccessfully for every passing vacancy. Now and then he got odd jobs, to be sure; but odd jobs won't do for a man to marry upon; and serious work seemed always to elude him. Walter Tyrrel did his best, no doubt, to hunt up all the directors of all the companies he knew; but no posts fell vacant on any line they were connected with. It grieved Walter to the heart, for he had always had the sincerest friendship for Eustace Le Neve; and now that Eustace was going to marry Cleer Trevennack, Walter felt himself doubly bound in honor to assist him. It was HE who had ruined the Trevennacks' hopes in life by his unintentional injury to their only son; the least he could do in return, he thought, and felt, was to make things as easy as possible for their daughter and her intended husband. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. who was afraid of something?
2. how long had she been worrying?
3. about what?
4. before what event?
5. who tried to make her feel better?
6. how?
7. what would he say?
8. what happened at the end of 10 months?
9. how often did he find work?
10. was that good enough?
11. what wasn't it good enough for?
12. who tried to help him find work?
13. what did he do?
14. why was he trying to help him?
15. how?
16. how could he make it up to them?
17. did any of his connections come through for him?
18. who did he have a close friendship with?
Answer: 1. Mrs. Trevennack
2. ten or eleven months
3. that a sudden access of irrepressible insanity might attack her husband
4. before Cleer and Eustace could manage to get married.
5. Trevennack
6. he would look across at her affectionately, with a reassuring smile.
7. "For Cleer's sake,"
8. Eustace Le Neve didn't seem to get much nearer any permanent appointment
9. Now and then he got odd jobs
10. No
11. for a man to marry upon
12. Walter Tyrrel
13. did his best to hunt up all the directors of all the companies he knew
14. Because he had ruined the Trevennacks' hopes in life
15. by his unintentional injury to their only son
16. make things as easy as possible for their daughter and her intended husband.
17. No
18. Eustace Le Neve

CHAPTER XXIV.

PEGGY HAS REVENGE.

Joe Wegg made a rapid recovery, his strength returning under the influence of pleasant surroundings and frequent visits from Ethel and Uncle John's three nieces. Not a word was hinted to either the invalid or the school teacher regarding the inquiries Mr. Merrick was making about the deed to the Bogue timber lands, which, if found, would make the young couple independent. Joe was planning to exploit a new patent as soon as he could earn enough to get it introduced, and Ethel exhibited a sublime confidence in the boy's ability that rendered all question of money insignificant.

Joe's sudden appearance in the land of his birth and his generally smashed up condition were a nine days' wonder in Millville. The gossips wanted to know all the whys and wherefores, but the boy kept his room in the hotel, or only walked out when accompanied by Ethel or one of the three nieces. Sometimes they took him to ride, as he grew better, and the fact that Joe "were hand an' glove wi' the nabobs" lent him a distinction he had never before possessed.

McNutt, always busy over somebody else's affairs, was very curious to know what had caused the accident Joe had suffered. Notwithstanding the little affair of the letter, in which he had not appeared with especial credit, Peggy made an effort to interview the young man that resulted in his complete discomfiture. But that did not deter him from indulging in various vivid speculations about Joe Wegg, which the simple villagers listened to with attention. For one thing, he confided to "the boys" at the store that, in his opinion, the man who had murdered Cap'n Wegg had tried to murder his son also, and it wasn't likely Joe could manage to escape him a second time. Another tale evolved from Peggy's fertile imagination was that Joe, being about to starve to death in the city, had turned burglar and been shot in the arm in an attempt at housebreaking. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who felt better quickly?
2. What helped?
3. What did he want to do?
4. Why?
5. Who thought he could do it?
6. Where did he go?
7. What did he do?
8. What else?
9. What did he do when he was stronger?
10. What did that give him?
Answer:
1. Joe Wegg
2. pleasant surroundings and frequent visits
3. exploit a new patent
4. make the young couple independent
5. Ethel
6. Millville
7. kept to his room
8. walked out when accompanied
9. rode
10. a distinction