Why should it be made public? Why should he not help to keep it quiet instead of pulling down ruin upon the helpless and unoffending? Hetty had written, “In mercy to the innocent.” He seemed to hear her say it now, in his ear. A faint melodious chime just vibrated through the sultry air. The fine bell of the “Old First” had struck the half hour. The church in which he was baptized; the church of his mother’s love and prayers! At thought of the pulpit desecrated by this fellow’s feet, a rush of indignant contempt surged up to his lips. “Sacrilegious dog!” he muttered, touching the motionless heap with his foot. Homer shambled back out of breath. He had brought a lantern. “_Now_—it’s powerful shady under the trees!” he replied to March’s remark that the moon gave all the light they required. “An’ ther’s somethin’ come ter me, as I want ter see!” He set down the lantern, hugged the tree bole, and went up a foot or two. Then were heard a scratching and a rattling overhead. “_Now_—would ye a mind holdin’ this ’tell I git ’em all?” The “all” were four bottles and a tin box. Two phials were long and empty. A name was blown in the glass. March held one down to the light. “_Elixir of Opium!_” The others were larger and of stout blue glass. A printed label said “_Phosphate_.” March pulled out a cork and smelled the contents. Opium again! The box held the same drug as a dark paste. “I mistrusted them horsephates a coople o’ times!” said Homer, imperturbably sagacious. “He wor too everlastin’ fond of ’em. He skeered me with the devil inter goin’ ter the drug store with a paper ter tell ’em for ter give me that ar’ one,” designating an empty phial. “Leastways, one like it. An’ Miss Hetty, she foun’ it in the garding, where I drapped it. Then, ’twas she tole me nivver to go nowhar ’thout ’twas she sent me. An’ I aint sence! An’ he’s t’reatened me orful a many a time ’cause what she said to me that time. I guess he bought ’em in New York, mos’ likely. He’s a sharp un—Mr. Wayt is!” March eyed him suspiciously. “How did you know where these things were, if you had nothing to do with hiding them!”