Left Half Harmon

by Ralph Henry Barbour

  CHAPTER XXIII

  M'NATT TRIES PHOTOGRAPHY

  Mr. Kincaid was a dapper, well-groomed little gentleman of middleage who wore a sandy mustache and squinted engagingly through a pairof gold-rimmed glasses because he was unusually near-sighted. On oneoccasion, when the instructor had removed his glasses to polish themand had subsequently mislaid them between the pages of a book forsomething like two minutes, things happened in Room G seldom witnessed!Being extremely fastidious, the instructor was a good customer of TheParisian Tailors, who occupied a small building on West Street. On thepreceding Saturday, the day of the New Falmouth game, the instructorrepaired himself to the tailoring shop shortly after dinner with a pairof trousers draped gracefully over one arm. He wanted those trousersnicely pressed for the next day's wearing, and he must have them nolater than this evening. Having enjoined Mr. Jacob Schacht to thateffect, he remained a moment and watched that gentleman, who, by theway, looked most un-Parisian in feature, proceed to the long-delayedcleaning of a gray suit. It was a peculiar looking suit, Mr. Kincaiddecided, viewing it through his strong lenses, and he made mention ofhis decision to Mr. Schacht. "An odd mixture," he remarked agreeably."I don't think I ever saw one just like it, Mr. Schacht."

  "Them spots ain't in the goods," chuckled Mr. Schacht in an un-Parisianvoice. "They're paint, Mr. Kincaid. One of the young gentlemen at theschool brought this here suit to me the first of the week just likeyou see it. All over the front is them spots, Mr. Kincaid, and I says'A fine job you bring me,' I says, 'because,' I says, 'paint that'salready got hard like this,' I says, 'you can't do much with it, Mr.Grainger.' So much I don't like it, I keep putting it off, sir, andhere now it's already Saturday, and nothing ain't done to it yet,Mr. Kincaid. If there was two of me I'd still be working till it wasmidnight just like now, Mr. Kincaid."

  His interest in the suit having vanished on learning that the peculiarappearance was due to specks of paint, Mr. Kincaid sympathized with Mr.Schacht in a few well-chosen words and withdrew. The incident did notagain occur to him until Tuesday forenoon when his eyes again fell onthe gray suit, now quite commonplace in appearance, adorning the formof Calvin Grainger. Just why at that moment Mr. Kincaid's thoughtsshould have reverted to the last faculty meeting it is hard to say,but they did, and he recalled the case of a student, whose name he hadnow forgotten, which had been before the meeting for consideration.That student had used black paint to adorn the brick wall surroundingthe residence of the Principal of Hillsport School, to the strainingof the entente cordial existing between that school and Alton Academy.Mr. Kincaid removed his gold-rimmed glasses, closed his eyes, leanedback, and, while Rowlandson proceeded to prove how little attention hehad given to today's lesson, added two and two, with the result thatlater on that day Calvin Grainger called at the office on request andspent some twenty minutes with Doctor McPherson. When he left he lookedchastened to a degree; chastened and very disgusted; possibly moredisgusted than chastened. For, as he asked later of a very troubledroommate, what was a fellow going to do when he was asked point-blanklike that?

  "Of course," he explained moodily, "I didn't welch on you or Mart, buthe'll get you, Bob, because he will be pretty sure we were together.After that he'll get Mart."

  "He'll get me," agreed Bob, with a sigh, "but I don't see how he canconnect Mart with the business."

  "You don't? Well, it's funny to me he hasn't done it already. He knowsthat Brand and Mart room together, for one thing. Fellows who roomtogether are generally in on things like that."

  "Sure, if they happen around school, but I guess it didn't occur to himthat Mart would be with Brand over at Hillsport. Maybe he won't thinkof me, either." But there was very little conviction in his tone.

  "He will, though," answered Cal gloomily. "You'll be on the carpet inthe morning. It's a shame, too. It doesn't matter much in my case, forI'm not on the football team, and I'll be off probation long beforespring baseball practice starts, but you--" He shook his head dismally.

  "Oh, well!" Bob shrugged. "What has to be, has to be. Might as wellface it." He walked to the window and looked down on the darkeningGreen. Cal groaned.

  "It's my fault," he muttered. "You fellows wouldn't have thought of itif I hadn't suggested it."

  "It isn't your fault that we went into it," answered Bob, withoutturning. "Don't talk like a fish."

  At noon the next day it was known pretty well all over school that BobNewhall, Calvin Grainger and Willard Harmon were on probation as aresult of the black paint episode over at Hillsport. Bob's fate broughtconsternation to the team and one of the worst quarter-hours Bob hadever put in occurred when Joe Myers sought him out and said what was onhis mind. Joe took it badly.

  Martin was all for hurrying to the office and acknowledging hiscomplicity, but the others persuaded him not to. As Bob said, theteam had suffered enough, and it was Martin's duty to stick as longas faculty would let him. "Not that it'll be long, though," added Bobpessimistically. "They'll get you, too, in a day or so."

  Bob was mistaken, however, for they didn't "get him" until Friday. Eventhen they had no proof against Martin, but, knowing that he and Bob andCal were much together, they shot at a venture and, questioned, Martincould do no less than confess. He acknowledged to Willard that it was arelief to have it over with. "I've been feeling like a thief ever sincethey got you, Brand," he said, "and I'd have gone to Mac long ago ifyou fellows hadn't kicked up such a row about it."

  The next day Alton journeyed to Hubbardston and met Oak Grove. WithRowlandson in Bob's position and Putney playing left tackle in placeof Martin, it wasn't the same team that had rolled up those 34 pointsagainst New Falmouth. The Gray-and-Gold, thanks to the spirit displayedby every fellow on the team and to some wonderful work by McNatt,managed to score a touchdown in the third period, but against that OakGrove made two, and the score at the end of the game was 14 to 6 in OakGrove's favor.

  The school felt very sore after that game and Bob and Martin andWillard were far from popular. There was a distinct atmosphereof discouragement over the Academy on Sunday, and it didn't liftperceptibly until Monday evening, when, at the third of the footballmass meetings, Coach Cade made an earnest appeal for support thatbrought the audience to their feet, cheering madly.

  "We've been hit hard," he said. "There wouldn't be any sense in mydenying that. But this is a fight that we're in, and one blow isn'tgoing to beat us. It's just going to get our blood up, fellows, andwe're going to fight harder than we ever thought of fighting. We'regoing into the Kenly game, maybe, beaten on paper, but we're coming outof it victorious. It won't be the first time that a supposedly weakerteam has won. It's spirit that counts, the spirit to fight and conquer,no matter the odds. And that's the spirit Alton is going to have nextSaturday. There isn't a man on the team, from Captain Myers down to thegreenest substitute, that thinks we are going to be beaten; there isn'tone of them that doesn't know that we can win and will win! And I knowit. And I want everyone of you fellows to know it, too, and to let theteam know that you know it! We'll do our part, but you've got to doyours. Will you?"

  The answer was convincing.

  The four on probation didn't attend that meeting, nor were they able tosee the efforts that Coach Cade put forth to repair the team in the fewdays remaining, but they heard of each, and each was affected in hisown fashion. Martin stormed at his fate and got red in the face, Bobwas very silent and pathetic and Willard smiled to hide a sore heart.Cal was frankly miserable, blaming himself for the mischief and takingthe misfortune to the others perhaps a little harder than they did.Willard dropped in on Felix McNatt Tuesday afternoon before supper andgot much inside news of the football situation.

  "Rowlandson will probably do very well," reported McNatt, "but Putneyisn't the right sort for tackle, and I wish Mr. Cade would see it. Hehasn't the proper temperament, Harmon."

  "How about the backfield?" asked Willard. "How--how's Mawson gettingon?"

  "Mawson is a hard worker, but he's lighter than he should be and he'
snot so clever at finding the holes as you were, Harmon," answeredMcNatt judicially. "Cochran is remarkably good when at his best, buthe--ah--fluctuates."

  "It doesn't sound hopeful," murmured Willard.

  "Oh, I've no doubt that we will win from Kenly," answered McNatt."You see, since we lost Proctor and Newhall we've come together a lotbetter, and the morale of the team is much finer. Kenly, as I figureit, will enter the game fairly sure of winning. We'll go in realizingthat, while we may win it, we've got to play powerful football to doit. When you just have to do a thing, you do it," concluded McNattconvincedly.

  Willard considered that conclusion a moment in silence, a silencebroken at length by his host. "I presume," he said, "that there's nohope of Newhall and Proctor--and you--getting back on before Saturday."

  "Hardly," answered Willard, smiling wryly. "We're on pro for the restof the term."

  "I didn't know," murmured McNatt sympathetically. "Just--ah--just whatwas it that happened, Harmon? I don't think I ever heard the rights ofit."

  So Willard told him, giving a very complete and detailed account of theaffair, and McNatt listened and nodded and blinked occasionally untilhe had finished. Then, after a moment's consideration, he said: "Itseems, then, that you fellows made your mistake in painting the scoreon the Principal's wall. I mean, you did no worse than Hillsport didotherwise."

  "We didn't do as much as she did," answered Willard resentfully. "Thosefellows painted the score all over the town here; more than a dozentimes, I guess; we only painted it twice."

  "Yes, I recall seeing the signs," McNatt reflected. "Has it occurred toyou as possible that a proper presentation of your case has not beenmade to the Hillsport Principal?"

  "I don't know. Anyway, what he thinks doesn't worry us. It's whatfaculty here thinks. And they think we ought to be punished. And weare."

  "I see. I only thought that possibly--" McNatt's voice trailed intosilence, and he remained silent so long that Willard finally got up andtook his departure. McNatt pulled the cord that operated the door boltin a most absent-minded manner and aroused himself from his abstractiononly long enough to murmur "Good afternoon." Outside, Willard smiled tohimself and shook his head.

  "McNutt!" he muttered.

  Usually the last hard practice preceding the big game was held onWednesday, but this year the team was kept at it on Thursday as well.On Wednesday the second team, fight as it might, was snowed under,three touchdowns and a field-goal to nothing, and on Thursday, althoughCoach Cade gave the ball to the second time and again inside thefirst's thirty-yard line, the latter's goal was not crossed. On theother hand, McNatt twice broke away for long runs that led to as manyscores. The mass meeting on Thursday evening was more enthusiastic thanany that had gone before, and the cheers had a grimly determined soundusually lacking.

  It was on Thursday that Martin returned to Number 16 Haylow justbefore dinner time from a hurried trip to West Street and, tossinghis purchase on his bed and warming numbed fingers over the radiator,announced with a chuckle: "McNutt's got a new line, Brand."

  "What sort of a line?" asked Willard, pushing his book away and tiltingperilously back in his chair. "What do you mean, line?"

  "Photography," replied Martin. "I met him over in Bagdad a few minutesago taking pictures of the stores. It's colder than the dickens, butall he had on was a muffler around his neck."

  "_What!_"

  "Don't play the goat. You know what I mean. He looked awfully funny,standing there winding up his little camera in the middle of thestreet, with the wind blowing a gale!"

  "What's he photographing the stores for?" asked Willard, puzzled.

  "Search me! Some new science, I guess. He's a queer one. Coming todinner?"

  Friday was still cold and windy, with leaden skies, and after the teamhad run through signals for a quarter of an hour and the backs hadpunted and caught a few times, the players were hustled back to thegymnasium and straw was spread over the gridiron in case of a freeze.

  The excitement and suspense that held the whole school that dayaffected Willard so that studying was an impossibility. About five,as Martin had gone over to Lykes to get Eustace Ross to help him withhis algebra, Willard gave up the attempt to study and, pulling on asweater, wandered across to Upton. Number 49 held only young Fuller,however. "Felix went out early," he said in reply to Willard's inquiry."About two o'clock I think it was. I guess he's photographing." The boyscowled. "That's his latest. He develops the pictures himself, too."He nodded at several trays and bottles that claimed a corner of thetable. "This is a rotten hole to live in when he gets to messing withchemicals. Some day I'll be blown through the roof, I dare say."

  "I don't think photographing chemicals are explosive," respondedWillard soothingly.

  "Well, they're mighty nasty," grumbled the other. "He stretched astring across the room yesterday and hung his films on it and theydripped all over my books!"

  Willard retraced his steps to Haylow, very much at a loose end, andgloomed in the darkness until Martin returned and switched the lighton. After supper that evening Bob and Calvin came up and the fourlistened to the singing and cheering that floated faintly across fromMemorial Hall where the final football mass meeting was being held, andtalked desultorily about the game and Alton's prospects of victory."They say," remarked Cal, "that faculty's holding a special meetingthis evening and that Rowlandson may not play tomorrow."

  "What's the matter with Rowly?" asked Martin.

  "Back in his studies, they say."

  "I guess it's just a scare," said Martin. "Who said that faculty wasmeeting?"

  "Harry Johnson told me. I think it's so, too, for I saw the windows ofMac's room all lighted up."

  "What of it? That doesn't necessarily mean that they're afterRowlandson," said Bob. "That would be about the last straw!"

  "You hear a lot of silly yarns like that just before the game," saidMartin. "Fellows get so excited they'll tell you anything."

  "I wish I were excited," muttered Bob. "Gee, it's funny to think of thegame being played tomorrow and not getting into it!"

  "Not even seeing!" added Cal.

  "That's worse still," said Martin. "I don't see why faculty needs to beso blamed mean. It wouldn't hurt them any to let us look at the oldgame!"

  "Think they would if we all went and asked?" inquired Willard. "DoctorMcPherson isn't a bad sort."

  "He's all right," answered Cal grudgingly, "but some of the others arepills. I'd say--"

  "We might try it," interrupted Bob eagerly. "I'll go if the rest of youwill!"

  "I'll go," said Martin promptly. "He can't any more than turn us down.Gee, listen to that cheer! They're certainly humping themselves overthere tonight!"

  "We'll all go," said Bob. "I suppose it's too late tonight. Let's do itright after breakfast. I don't see why he shouldn't, fellows."

  "Nor I," growled Cal, "but he won't!"

  Long after midnight had rung out Willard called cautiously across thedarkness: "Mart, you awake?"

  "Yes, I can't seem to get to sleep."

  "Same here," sighed Willard. He thumped his pillow and dug his headinto it again. "Gee, you'd think I was going to play tomorrow from theway I don't get sleepy!"

  "Last year," said Mart, making the bed squeak as he tossed himself intoa new position, "I was asleep before eleven. Let's light up and readawhile, Brand."

  "Let's try it again for awhile first," was the answer. "Maybe if westop thinking about the game we'll make it."

  "Yes, but how are you going to stop thinking of it?" sighed Martin."Well--"

  Silence fell. The half-hour struck. Presently a gentle snore came fromthe left-hand bed, joined a few minutes later by a second.

  CHAPTER XXIV

  ALTON CELEBRATES

  Cloud and sun were struggling for supremacy the next morning whenWillard looked out the window. The tips of the trees were swayingbriskly under a southwest breeze, but it was evident that, whetherfair or cloudy, the day was to be milder than yesterday. Already
therewas a wild hubbub from the corridor as boys raced for the lavatory,and football songs sounded bravely. Willard didn't have much appetiteat breakfast; nor, for that matter, did many of his table companionsdisplay any marvelous enthusiasm for food. They were far too excited.A holiday air prevailed and laughter was louder and conversation moreincessant than usual. At intervals the broad windows across the crowdedhall lighted up palely, making a promise that was never quite fulfilled.

  The four met in the corridor after breakfast and discussed theirmission beside one of the radiators. "Who's going to do the talking?"asked Calvin. "And what are we going to say?"

  "Bob," answered Martin and Willard almost in unison.

  Bob shrugged. "I don't mind. Anyway, there isn't anything to say. Allwe can do is ask to be allowed to attend the game. I don't know ofany--any effective argument that we can put up, do you?"

  It seemed that no one did, and presently they started forth for DoctorMcPherson's residence, the Doctor seldom going across to Academy Hallbefore nine o'clock. They gave their names to the maid and stood in acluster outside the library door while she disappeared in the directionof the dining-room. "Guess he hasn't finished breakfast," whisperedMartin. "Maybe we oughtn't to have come so early."

  "He ought to be through it if he isn't," muttered Bob sternly. "Anyhow,we can wait."

  Then the maid appeared again. "The Doctor says he will see you at theoffice at half-past ten," she reported. The four exchanged glances andfiled out. Outside, Bob gave a sigh of relief.

  "I guess he'd have turned us down, anyway," he said.

  "You don't know," replied Willard. "Aren't you going to try again?"

  "I don't believe," said Bob. "What's the use?"

  "Lots of use," declared Martin stoutly. "Let's see it through now we'vestarted. Come on up to our room and wait. It's nearly two hours."

  In the corridor Willard stopped at the mail rack while the others wenton toward the stairs. When he overtook them he held two buff envelopesin his hand. "Here's a billet-doux for you, Mart," he said. "I'vegot one, too. Wonder what's up." He pulled out the printed slip andran his eyes over it quickly. "That's funny! It's a date with Mac atten-thirty!"

  "So's mine," announced Martin. "What do you suppose--"

  "That's why he wouldn't see us over at the house," said Bob. "Say, Iwonder if I've got one of those, too! I'm going to see!"

  "So am I!" exclaimed Calvin.

  Left alone, Willard and Martin went on up the stairway alternatelyeyeing the slips and each other. Martin shook his head troubledly asthey gained the second floor corridor. "I'll bet it's that blamedalgebra," he muttered. "Peghorn's been mighty nasty the last two orthree days."

  "Well, I'm all right as far as I know," said Willard, frowningthoughtfully. "Maybe Latin--"

  Hurrying footsteps below interrupted, and then Bob's head came intosight. Cal followed at his heels. Both boys were plainly excited."We've got 'em, too!" called Bob. "Same hour! Say, know what I think? Ithink faculty's going to let us see the game!"

  Martin exhaled a deep sigh of relief. "Gee, I hope it is that!" heexclaimed. "I--I was getting scared!"

  There was still an hour and a half to be lived through, and they madethemselves comfortable in Number 16 and advanced numerous theories.Willard went so far as to suggest that perhaps Mac was going to letthem all off probation, but that theory found no supporters. "Youhaven't been here very long," said Bob, "and so you don't know thatfaculty gang like I do. It's a sight more likely that Mac wants usto tell us they've changed their minds and that we're to be shot atsunrise!"

  Fully a quarter of an hour before the appointed time they set forthfor Academy Hall, arriving there with thirteen and a half minutes towait. They joined the group on the steps and listened half-heartedlyto prognostications regarding the outcome of the game until Calvin,having referred to his watch for the sixth time, made a significantmotion of his head and the others followed him inside and down thecorridor to the fateful portal.

  "The Doctor is all ready for you, gentlemen," said the secretary whenthey entered. "Go right in, please."

  They went in, Bob leading the way. Doctor McPherson greeted thempleasantly and bade them be seated, and when they were he took up apaper whose folds showed it to be a letter and fixed his glasses morefirmly. Then he viewed them one after another and spoke.

  "This is a communication that reached me yesterday by--um--by specialmessenger." Willard thought a faint smile quivered about the corners ofthe Doctor's mouth. "It is from Doctor William Handley, of HillsportSchool. With your permission, boys, I will read it."

  The ensuing silence gave unanimous and enthusiastic consent. The onlysound was from Bob when he coughed nervously. The Doctor ran his eyesover the address and began: "The young gentleman who bears this, Mr.McNatt, has convinced me that the incident of which I wrote to youunder date of the 5th instant has been wrongly construed by our facultyand that it was neither a deliberated discourtesy nor a mischievousattempt to cause property damage. In the light of Mr. McNatt'sinformation I can readily believe that the proceeding was no more thana prankish attempt to retaliate for acts of a similar nature performedby the students of this school in Alton a year ago, acts which, I wishto assure you, were not known of by me until today. While two wrongs donot make a right, I can sympathize with the motives which actuated yourstudents, and it is the purpose of this letter to assure you that sofar as we of the Hillsport School Faculty are concerned the unfortunateincident is fully condoned. As a personal favor will you not exercisesuch leniency toward the offenders as your conscience will permit? Itwould be a source of deep regret if, because of our somewhat hasty and,as we now conceive, too severe arraignment of the young gentlemen, theAlton Football Team should, lacking their services, meet with defeattomorrow. In closing may I offer an apology on behalf of the Faculty ofthis school for the depredations caused by our students in your townlast autumn? I assure you that such regrettable acts will not recur.With the most cordial greetings and assurances of my deep respect, Iam, my dear Doctor, very sincerely yours, William Handley."

  The Principal placed the letter back on the desk before him and againviewed his audience, this time with a frank smile.

  "That document," he went on, "was presented to me late yesterdayafternoon by McNatt, of the Senior Class. Last evening I called ameeting of the faculty, young gentlemen, and it was decided that, sincethe Hillsport faculty desired it, it would be ungracious on our part torefuse clemency. So it is my pleasant privilege to inform you that youare removed from probation. I need scarcely point out to you that youare chiefly under obligations to Felix McNatt."

  There was a long moment of silence. Then Bob cleared his throat."How--how did he do it, sir?" he asked rather huskily.

  "I'm not very certain myself," replied the Doctor, smiling, "but Igathered from his story that his most potent argument was a collectionof a dozen or so photographs which he took around town here and whichshowed that you boys didn't exactly invent the painting of footballscores on walls and buildings!"

  * * * * *

  I might devote several pages to the Alton-Kenly game, but it reallydoesn't deserve it. Seen in retrospect, it was not an uncommonlyenthralling battle, although at the time there was excitement enough.You know without my telling it that Alton won. I think she would havewon even without the assistance of Bob and Martin and Willard, for shehad made up her mind to conquer and I don't believe that anything Kenlycould have done that afternoon would have prevented her from winning.As it was, Alton showed her superiority from the first and the outcomewas never for an instant in doubt. Coach Cade had pleaded for the firstscore, for, like many coaches, he was a believer in the axiom whichsays: The team that scores first wins the game. And Alton gave him hiswish when Cochran slid over the Kenly goal-line at the end of sevenminutes of play for the initial touchdown.

  Alton played good football that afternoon, played better football thanher most hopeful supporter dared expect, and Kenly was fortunate to getthe
six points that came to her in the second period. Those six pointsconstituted the only dregs in Alton's cup of happiness, for, afterMcNatt had hurled himself across the last four yards that separatedthe Gray-and-Gold from the Kenly goal in the first few moments of thesecond quarter and Macon had brought the total to 14 points, it seemedto Alton that she would not only win but keep the adversary scoreless.That, however, was not to be, for Kenly, although outplayed during mostof the game, enjoyed one flash of desperate, heroic and successfulendeavor. Getting possession of the ball on Alton's thirty-eight yards,she made two forward-passes good and landed on the twelve. From there,in spite of the home team's savage defense, she smashed her way to theseven in three attacks and then threw over the line for a score.

  Yet Alton avenged that insult in the third period and again in thefourth, and might have done so once again in the last few minutes hadnot the substitutes, thrown in helter-skelter as the end drew close,suffered three successive penalties for over-eagerness. It was hardto pick the stars in the Alton eleven, for not a man stopped shortof excellence. Possibly it was McNatt who shone the brightest, forthe full-back had all that the others had of skill and spirit with,besides, a certain other quality which, for want of a better name, andat the risk of ridicule, I must call science. It was McNatt who stoppedthe much-touted Puckhaber time and again and fairly stood him on hishead. It was McNatt who twice hurled himself across the Kenly goal-linefor a score. And it was McNatt who, flaming himself with a white-hotintensity of purpose, constantly encouraged the others to fairlysuperhuman efforts.

  But to speak too much of McNatt would be unfair to the rest: to CaptainJoe Myers, and to Gil Tarver, who ran the team as never before, andto Bob and Martin and, finally, Willard, who, although he didn't seeservice until the third period started, played a wonderful game at lefthalf. That run that started on Alton's twenty-eight yards and ended onKenly's seventeen was made by Willard, and Willard it was who, nearthe last of the contest, took Tarver's long heave down the field andadded another dozen yards to it, so preparing the way for McNatt'sfinal touchdown. It was Alton's day all through, and it is doubtful ifthere was ever a more stunned and disappointed team than Kenly when thelast whistle blew and the score of 26 to 6 stared down at her from theboard. That single touchdown afforded her scant comfort, it seemed.

  It was Alton's day all through]

  Alton made merry that night. There was a parade that wound in and outof the town and back across the Green several times, and much singingand much cheering. It was while they were perched side by side in therickety wagon that, serving as a chariot for the heroes, was drawn atthe head of the procession, that Willard said to McNatt during a lullin the clamor: "How did you ever think of that scheme, McNatt?"

  And McNatt, smiling, answered: "Well, Harmon, there's a scientific wayof doing everything, you know. And that was the scientific way of doing_that_!"

  THE END

  Transcriber's Notes:

  --Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_).

  --Except for the frontispiece, illustrations have been moved to follow the text that they illustrate, so the page number of the illustration may not match the page number in the Illustrations.

  --Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected, except as noted below.

  --Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.

  --Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.

  --The author's em-dash style has been retained.

  --Differences in M'Natt (chapter titles) and McNatt (Contents) for Chapters IX, XVII, and XXIII titles have been retained.