"I think he was too severe with you altogether," said his wife.
Putney laughed. "It was all I could do to keep Ellen from getting up and
going out of church too, when Brother Gerrish set the example. She's a
Gerrishite at heart."
"Well, remember, Ralph," said Annie, "that I'm with you in whatever you
do to defeat that man. It's a good cause--a righteous cause--the cause of
justice; and we must do everything for it," she said fervently.
"Yes, any enormity is justifiable against injustice," he suggested, "or the
unjust; it's the same thing."
"You know I don't mean that. I can trust you."
"I shall keep within the law, at any rate," said Putney.
"Well, Mrs. Bolton!" Annie called out, when she entered her house, and she
pushed on into the kitchen; she had not the patience to wait for her to
bring in the dinner before speaking about the exciting event at church. But
Mrs. Bolton would not be led up to the subject by a tacit invitation, and
after a suspense in which her zeal for Mr. Peck began to take a colour of
resentment toward Mrs. Bolton, Annie demanded, "What do you think of Mr.
Gerrish's scandalous behaviour?"
Mrs. Bolton gave herself time to put a stick of wood into the stove, and to
punch it with the stove-lid handle before answering. "I don't know as it's
anything more than I expected."
Annie went on: "It was shameful! Do you suppose he really thought Mr. Peck
was referring to him in his sermon?"
"I presume he felt the cap fit. But if it hadn't b'en one thing, 'twould
b'en another. Mr. Peck was bound to roil the brook for Mr. Gerrish's
drinkin', wherever he stood, up stream or down."
"Yes. He _is_ a wolf! A wolf in sheep's clothing," said Annie
excitedly.
"I d'know as you can call him a _wolf_, exactly," returned Mrs. Bolton
dryly. "He's got his good points, I presume."
Annie was astounded. "Why, Mrs. Bolton, you're surely not going to justify
him?"
Mrs. Bolton erected herself from cutting a loaf of her best bread into
slices, and stood with the knife in her hand, like a figure of Justice.
"Well, I _guess_ you no need to ask me a question like that, Miss
Kilburn. I hain't obliged to make up to Mr. Peck, though, for what I done
in the beginnin' by condemnin' everybuddy else without mercy now." Mrs.
Bolton's eyes did not flash fire, but they sent out an icy gleam that went
as sharply to Annie's heart.