I began to make good progress in my studies that week and to observe the affection with which Mr. Hacket was regarded in the school and village.  I remember that his eyes gave out and had to be bandaged but the boys and girls in his room behaved even better than before.  It was curious to observe how the older ones controlled the younger in that emergency.

Sally came and went, with the Wills boy, and gave no heed to me.  In her eyes I had no more substance than a ghost, it seemed to me, although I caught her, often, looking at me.  I judged that her father had given her a bad report of us and had some regrets, in spite of my knowledge that we were right, although they related mostly to Amos.

Next afternoon I saw Mr. Wright and the President walking back and forth on the bridge as they talked together.  A number of men stood in front of the blacksmith shop, by the river shore, watching them, as I passed, on my way to the mill on an errand.  The two statesmen were in broadcloth and white linen and beaver hats.  They stopped as I approached them.

“Well, partner, we shall be leaving in an hour or so,” said Mr. Wright as he gave me his hand.  “You may look for me here soon after the close of the session.  Take care of yourself and go often to see Mrs. Wright and obey your captain and remember me to your aunt and uncle.”

“See that you keep coming, my good boy,” said the President as he gave me his hand, with playful reference, no doubt, to Mr. Wright’s remark that I was a coming man.

“Bart, I’ve some wheat to be threshed in the barn on the back lot,” said the Senator as I was leaving them.  “You can do it Saturdays, if you care to, at a shilling an hour.  Stack the straw out-of-doors until you’ve finished then put it back in the bay.  Winnow the wheat carefully and sack it and bring it down to the granary and I’ll settle with you when I return.”

I remember that a number of men who worked in Grimshaw’s saw-mill were passing as he spoke.

“Yes, sir,” I answered, much elated by the prospect of earning money.

I left with a feeling of keen disappointment that I was to see so little of my distinguished friend and a thought of the imperious errands of men which put the broad reaches of the earth between friend and friend.

I remember repeating to myself the words of the Senator which began:  “You may look for me here soon after the close of the session,” in the tone in which he had said them.  As of old, I admired and tried to imitate his dignity of speech and bearing.

When I returned from the mill they were gone.

The examination of Amos was set down for Monday and the people of the village were stirred and shaken by wildest rumors regarding the evidence to be adduced.  Every day men and women stopped me in the Street to ask what I knew of the murder.  I followed the advice of Bishop Perkins and kept my knowledge to myself.