ry to trouble you, Goodlett," he said by way of making a beginning.

"I notice you ain't cryin' none to hurt," remarked Mr. Goodlett
placidly. "An' ef you was, you'd be cryin' for nothin'. You ain't
troublin' me a mite. Forty an' four like you can't trouble me."

"You'll have to excuse Ab," said Mrs. Goodlett, who had preceded Gabriel
and Silas to the kitchen. "He's lost his cud, an' he won't be right well
till he finds it ag'in." She placed her hand over her mouth to hide her
smiles.

Silas Tomlin paid no attention to this by-play. He stood like a man who
is waiting an opportunity to get in a word.

"Goodlett, who were the ladies you brought from Malvern to-day?" His
face was very serious.

"You know 'em lots better'n I do. The oldest seed you out in the field,
an' she axed me who you mought be. I told her, bekaze I ain't got no
secrets from my passengers, specially when they're good-lookin' an'
plank down the'r money before they start. Arter I told 'em who you was,
the oldest made you a mighty purty bow, but you wer'n't polite enough
for to take off your hat. I dunno as I blame you much, all things
considered. Then the youngest, she's the daughter, she says, says she,
'Is that reely him, ma?' an' t'other one, says she, 'Ef it's him, honey,
he's swunk turrible.' She said them very words."

"I wonder who in the world they can be?" said Silas Tomlin, as if
talking to himself.

"You'll think of the'r names arter awhile," Mr. Goodlett remarked by way
of consolation, but his tone was so suspicious that Silas turned on his
heel--he had started out--and asked Mr. Goodlett what he meant.

"Adzackly what I said, nuther more nor less."

Mrs. Absalom was so curious to find out something more that Silas was
hardly out of the house before she began to ply her husband with
questions. But they were all futile. Mr. Goodlett knew no more than
that he had brought the women from Malvern; that they had chanced to
spy old Silas Tomlin in a field by the side of the road, and that when
the elder of the two women found out what his name was, she made him a
bow, which Silas wasn't polite enough to return.

"That's all I know," remarked Mr. Goodlett. "Dog take the wimmen
anyhow!" he exclaimed indignantly; "ef they'd stay at home they'd be all
right; but here they go, a-trapesin' an' a-trollopin' all over creation,
an' a-givin' trouble wherever they go. They git me so muddled an'
befuddled wi' ther whickerin' an' snickerin' that I dun