e　under　similar　circumstances；　and　what　any　other　woman　would　have　thanked　him　for。　Why　was　everybody　here　against　himeven　the　girl　herself！　What　sort　of　people　were　these　who　would　stand　by　and　see　a　woman　insulted　and　make　no　defence　or　outcry？　He　could　not　have　looked　his　father　in　the　face　again；　nor　Sue；　nor　anyone　else　in　Kennedy　Square；　if　he　had　failed　to　protect　her。
  For　a　moment　he　hesitated；　his　eyes　searching　each　face。　He　had　hoped　that　someone　who　had　witnessed　the　outrage　would　come　forward　and　uphold　his　act。　When　no　voice　broke　the　stillness　he　crossed　the　room　and　taking　the　lithographer's　hand；　extended　rather　sullenly；　answered；　quietly：　〃If　Miss　Grant　is　satisfied；　I　am；〃　and　peace　was　once　more　restored。
  Margaret　sharpened　her　charcoals　and　bent　over　her　drawing。　She　was　so　agitated　she　could　not　trust　herself　to　touch　its　surface。　〃If　I　am　SATISFIED；〃　she　kept　repeating　to　herself。　The　words；　somehow；　seemed　to　carry　a　reproach　with　them。　〃Why　shouldn't　I　be　satisfied。？　I　have　no　more　rights　in　the　room　than　the　other　students　about　me；　that　is；　I　thought　I　hadn't　until　I　heard　what　he　said。　How　foolish　for　him　to　cause　all　this　fuss　about　nothing；　and　make　me　so　conspicuous。〃
  But　even　as　she　said　the　words　to　herself　she　remembered　　Oliver's　tense　figure　and　the　look　of　indignation　　on　his　face。　She　had　never　been　accustomed　　to　seeing　men　take　up　the　cudgels　for　women。　There　had　been　no　opportunity；　perhaps；　nor　cause；　but　even　if　there　had　been；　she　could　think　of　no　one　whom　she　had　ever　met　who　would　have　done　as　much　for　her　just　because　she　was　a　woman。
  A　little　sob；　which　she　could　not　have　explained　to　herself；　welled　up　to　her　throat。　Much　as　she　gloried　in　her　own　self…reliance；　she　suddenly　and　unexpectedly　found　herself　exulting　in　a　quality　heretofore　unknown　to　herthat　quality　which　had　compelled　an　almost　total　stranger　to　take　her　part。　Then　the　man　himself！　How　straight　and　strong　and　handsome　he　was　as　he　stood　looking　at　Judson；　　and　then　the　uplifted　arm；　the　quick　spring；　and；　best　of　all；　the　calm；　graceful　way　in　which　he　had　handed　her　the　chair！　She　could　not　get　the　picture　　out　of　her　mind。　Last；　she　remembered　with　a　keen　sense　of　pleasure　the　chivalrous　look　in　his　face　when　he　held　out　his　hand　to　the　man　who　a　moment　before　had　received　its　full　weight　about　his　throat。
  She　had　not　regained　mastery　of　herself　even　when　she　leaned　across　her　drawing…board；　pretending　to　be　absorbed　in　her　work。　The　curves　of　the　Milo　seemed　in　some　strange　way　to　have　melted　into　the　semblance　of　the　outlines　of　other　visions　sunk　deep　in　her　soul　since　the　days　of　her　childhoodvisions　which　for　years　past　had　been　covered　over　by　the　ice　of　a　cold；　hard　puritanical　training；　that　had　　prevented　any　bubbles　of　sentiment　from　ever　rising　to　the　surface　of　her　heart。　As　remembrances　of　these　visions　rushed　through　her　mind　the　half…draped　woman；　with　the　face　of　the　Madonna　and　the　soul　of　the　Universal　Mother　shining　through　every　line　of　her　beautiful　body；　no　longer　stood　before　her。　It　was　a　knight　in　glittering　armor　now；　with　drawn　sword　and　visor　up；　beneath　which　looked　out　the　face　of　a　beautiful　youth　aflame　with　the　fire　of　a　holy　zeal。　She　caught　the　flash　of　the　sun　on　his　breastplate　of　silver；　and　the　sweep　of　his　blade；　and　heard　his　clarion　voice　sing　out。　And　then　again；　as　she　closed　her　eyes；　this　calm；　lifeless　cast　became　a　gallant；　blue…eyed　prince；　who　knelt　beside　her　and　kissed　her　finger…tips；　his　doffed　plumes　trailing　at　her　feet。
  When　the　band　of　students　were　leaving　the　rooms　that　night；　Margaret　called　Oliver　to　her　side；　and　　extending　her　hand；　said；　with　a　direct　simplicity　that　carried　conviction　in　every　tone　of　her　voice　and　in　which　no　trace　of　her　former　emotions　were　visible：
  〃I　hope　you'll　forgive　me；　Mr。　Horn。　I'm　all　alone　here　in　this　city　and　I　have　grown　so　accustomed　　to　depending　on　myself　that；　perhaps；　I　failed　to　understand　how　you　felt　about　it。　I　am　very　grateful　to　you。　Good…night。〃
  She　had　turned　away　before　he　could　do　more　than　express　his　regret　over　the　occurrence。　He　wanted　to　follow　her；　to　render　her　some　assistance；　to　comfort　her　in　some　way。　It　hurt　him　to　see　her　go　out　alone　into　the　night。　He　wished　he　might　offer　his　arm；　escort　her　home；　make　some　atonement　for　the　pain　he　had　caused　her。　But　there　was　a　certain　proud　poise　of　the　head　and　swift　glance　of　the　eye　which　held　him　back。
  While　he　stood　undecided　whether　to　break　through　her　reserve　and　join　her；　he　saw　Mrs。　Mulligan　　come　out　of　the　basement；　stop　a　passing　stage；　and；　helping　Margaret　in；　take　the　seat　beside　her。
  〃I　am　glad　she　does　not　go　out　alone；〃　he　said　to　himself　and　turned　away。
  CHAPTER　XIII
  BELOW　MOOSE　HILLOCK
  It　was　not　long　before　the　bare　rooms　of　the　Academy　Schoolowing　to　the　political　situation；　which　necessitated　the　exercise　of　economies　in　every　directionbegan　to　suffer。
  One　night　the　students　found　the　gas　turned　out　and　a　small　card　tacked　on　the　door　of　the　outer　hall。　It　read
  SCHOOL　CLOSED　FOR　WANT　OF
  FUNDS。　WILL　PERHAPS　BE
  OPENED　IN　THE　AUTUMN。
  Signs　of　like　character　were　not　unusual　in　the　history　　of　the　school。　The　wonder　was；　considering　the　vicissitudes　through　which　the　Academy　had　passed；　that　it　was　opened　at　all。　From　the　institution's　earlier　　beginnings　in　the　old　house　on　Bond　Street；　to　its　flight　from　the　loft　close　to　Grace　Church　and　then　to　the　abandoned　building　opposite　the　old　hotel　near　Washington　Square；　where　Amos　Cobb　always　stayed　when　he　came　to　New　York；　and　so　on　down　to　its　own　home　on　Broadway；　its　history　had　been　one　long　struggle　for　recognition　and　support。
  This　announcement；　bitter　enough　as　it　was　to　Oliver；　was　followed　by　another　even　more　startling；　when　he　reached　the　office　next　day；　and　Mr。　Slade　called　him　into　his　private　room。
  〃Mr。　Horn；〃　said　his　employer；　motioning　Oliver　to　a　seat　and　drawing　his　chair　close　beside　him　so　that　he　could　lay　his　hand　upon　the　young　man's　knee；　〃I　am　very　sorry　to　tell　you　that　after　the　first　of　June　we　shall　be　obliged　to　lay　you　off。　It　is　not　because　we　are　dissatisfied　with　your　services；　for　you　have　been　a　faithful　clerk；　and　we　all　like　you　and　wish　you　could　stay；　but　the　fact　is　if　this　repudiation　　goes　on　we　will　all　be　ruined。　I　am　not　going　to　discharge　you；　I'm　only　going　to　give　you　a　holiday　　for　a　few　months。　Then；　if　the　war…scare　blows　over　we　want　you　back　again。　I　appreciate　that　this　has　come　as　suddenly　upon　you　as　it　has　upon　us；　and　I　hope　you　will　not　feel　offended　when；　in　addition　to　your　salary；　I　hand　you　the　firm's　check　for　an　extra　amount。　You　must　not　look　upon　it　as　a　gift；　for　you　have　earned　every　cent　of　it。〃
  These　two　calamities　were　duly　reported　in　a　ten…　page　letter　to　his　mother　by　our　young　hero；　sitting　alone；　as　he　wrote；　up　in　his　sky…parlor；　crooning　over　his　dismal　coke　fire。　〃Was　he；　then；　to　begin　over　again　the　weary　tramping　of　the　streets？〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃And　the　future！　What　did　that　hold　in　store　for　him？　Would　the　time　ever　come　when　he　could　follow　the　bent　of　his　tastes？　He　was　getting　on　so　welleven　Miss　Grant　had　said　soand　it　had　not　interfered　with　his　work　at　the　store；　either。　The　check　in　his　pocket　proved　that。〃
  His　mother's　answer　made　his　heart　bound　with　joy。
  〃Take　Mr。　Slade　at　his　word。　He　is　your　friend　and　means　what　he　says。　Find　a　place　for　the　summer　where　you　can　live　cheaply　and　where　the　little　money　which　you　now　have　will　pay　your　way。　In　the　fall　you　can　return　to　your　work。　Don't　think　of　coming　home；　much　as　I　should　like　to　put　my　arms　around　you。　I　cannot　spare　the　money　to　bring　you　here　now；　as　I　have　just　paid　the　interest　on　the　mortgage。　　Moreover；　the　whole　of　Kennedy　Square　is　upset　and　our　house　seems　to　be　the　centre　of　disturbance。　　Your　father's　views　on　slavery　are　well　known；　and　he　is　already　being　looked　upon　with　disfavor　　by　some　of　our　neighbors。　At　the　club　the　other　night　he　and　Judge　Bowman　had　some　words　which　were　very　distressing　to　me。　Mr。　Cobb　was　present；　and　was　the　only　one　who　took　your　father's　part。　Your　father；　as　you　may　imagine；　is　very　anxious　　over　the　political　situation；　but　I　cannot　think　our　people　are　going　to　fight　and　kill　each　other；　as　Colonel　Clayton　predicts　they　will　before　another　year　has　passed。〃
  Oliver's　heart　bounded　like　a　loosened　balloon　as　he　laid　down　his　mother's　letter　and　began　pacing　the　room。　Neither　the　political　outlook；　nor　club　discussions；　　nor　even　his　mother's　hopes　and　fears；　concerned　　him。　It　was　the　sudden　loosening　of　all　his　bonds　that　thrilled　him。　Four　months　to　do　as　he　pleased　in；　the　dreadful　mortgage　out　of　the　way　for　six　months；　his　mother　willing；　and　he　with　money　enough　in　his　pocket　to　pay　his　way　without　calling　upon　her　for　a　penny！　Was　there　ever　such　luck！　All　care　rolled　from　his　shoulderseven　the　desire　to　see　his　mother　and　Sue　and　those　whom　he　loved　at　home　was　forgotten　in　the　rosy　prospect　before　him。
  The　next　day　he　told　Mr。　Slade　of　his　plans；　and　read　him　part　of　his　mother's　letter。
  〃Very　sensible　woman；　your　mother；〃　his　employer　　answered；　with　his　bluff　heartiness。　〃Just　the　thing　fo