hould go afield every pleasant day, and that the lodger should
answer all peremptory knocks at the side door.

In taking an occasional wisdom-giving stroll in Mrs. Todd's company, and
in acting as business partner during her frequent absences, I found the
July days fly fast, and it was not until I felt myself confronted with
too great pride and pleasure in the display, one night, of two dollars
and twenty-seven cents which I had taken in during the day, that I
remembered a long piece of writing, sadly belated now, which I was bound
to do. To have been patted kindly on the shoulder and called "darlin',"
to have been offered a surprise of early mushrooms for supper, to have
had all the glory of making two dollars and twenty-seven cents in a
single day, and then to renounce it all and withdraw from these pleasant
successes, needed much resolution. Literary employments are so vexed
with uncertainties at best, and it was not until the voice of conscience
sounded louder in my ears than the sea on the nearest pebble beach that
I said unkind words of withdrawal to Mrs. Todd. She only became more
wistfully affectionate than ever in her expressions, and looked as
disappointed as I expected when I frankly told her that I could no
longer enjoy the pleasure of what we called "seein' folks." I felt that
I was cruel to a whole neighborhood in curtailing her liberty in this
most important season for harvesting the different wild herbs that were
so much counted upon to ease their winter ails.

"Well, dear," she said sorrowfully, "I've took great advantage o' your
bein' here. I ain't had such a season for years, but I have never had
nobody I could so trust. All you lack is a few qualities, but with time
you'd gain judgment an' experience, an' be very able in the business.
I'd stand right here an' say it to anybody."

Mrs. Todd and I were not separated or estranged by the change in our
business relations; on the contrary, a deeper intimacy seemed to begin.
I do not know what herb of the night it was that used sometimes to send
out a penetrating odor late in the evening, after the dew had fallen,
and the moon was high, and the cool air came up from the sea. Then Mrs.
Todd would feel that she must talk to somebody, and I was only too glad
to listen. We both fell under the spell, and she either stood outside
the window, or made an errand to my sitting-room, and told, it might
be very commonplace news of the day, or, as happened one misty