crime and suffered the consequences of it, jest to save his father from
another crime the old man never done a-tall?"

Neither Mavin nor his father heard. The old elder was muttering over and
over, "My boy that was dead and is alive again...."

Scattergood arose silently and pointed to the door, and the crowd
withdrew silently, withdrew to group about the entrance outside and to
wait. They were patient. It was an hour before Elder Newton descended,
his son on one side and Mattie Strong on the other.... The band, with a
volunteer drummer, lifted its joyous voice, and, looking up, the trio
faced a banner upon which Scattergood had caused to be painted, "Welcome
Home, Mavin Newton."

Coldriver had taken judicial action and thus voiced its decision.



CHAPTER XIII

HE CRACKS AN OBDURATE NUT


Jason Locker, who was Sam Kettleman's rival in Coldriver's grocery
industry, was a trifle too amenable to modern ideas at times. He took
notions, as the folks said. Once he went so far as to say that he could
do anything in his store that anybody could do in a big city store and
make a success of it. He was so progressive that in the Coldriver parade
he occupied a position so advanced that it really seemed like two
parades.