THE MONSTER Tommy's new character was that of a monster.

He always liked the big parts.
Concealed, as usual, in the garments that clung so oddly to him, modesty, generosity, indifference to applause and all the nobler impulses, he could not strip himself of them, try as he would, and so he found, to his scornful amusement, that he still escaped the public fury.

In the two months that preceded Elspeth's marriage there was positively scarce a soul in Thrums who did not think rather well of him.

"If they knew what I really am," he cried with splendid bitterness, "how they would run from me!" Even David could no longer withhold the hand of fellowship, for Grizel would tell him nothing, except that, after all, and for reasons sufficient to herself, she had declined to become Mrs.Sandys.

He sought in vain to discover how Tommy could be to blame.