home.

Mr. Opp moved about the office restlessly, knowing from experience that
to sit down in the presence of Mr. Tucker was fatal. The only chance of
escape lay in motion. He sharpened his pencils, straightened his desk,
and tied up two bundles of papers while Mr. Tucker's address on the
probable future of the Central American republics continued. Then Mr.
Opp was driven to extreme measures. He sent himself a telegram. This
ruse was occasionally resorted to, to free the office from unwelcome
visitors without offending them, and served incidentally to produce an
effect which was not unpleasant to the editor.

Scribbling a message on a telegraph-blank procured for the purpose from
Mr. Gallop, Mr. Opp handed it secretly to Nick, who in turn vanished out
of the back door only to reappear at the front. Then the editor, with
much ostentation, opened the envelop, and, after reading the contents,
declared that he had business that would require immediate action. Would
Mr. Tucker excuse him? If so, Nick would hold his coat.

"But," protested Mr. Tucker, resisting the effort to force him into his
overcoat, "I want to talk over this oil business. We don't want to take
any risks with those fellows. As I was a-saying to Mr. Hager--"

"Yes," said Mr. Opp, taking his own hat from a nail, and apparently in
great haste, "I know, of course. You are exactly right about it. We'll
just talk it over as we go up-street," and linking his arm through Mr.
Tucker's, he steered him up the muddy channel of Main Street, and safely
into the harbor of Our Hotel, where he anchored him breathless, but
satisfied.

Having thus disposed, to the best of his ability, of his business for
the week, Mr. Opp turned his attention to his yet more arduous domestic
affairs. The menu for the guest's dinner had weighed rather heavily upon
him all day, for he had never before entertained in his own home. His
heart had been set on turkey; but as that was out of the question, he
compromised on a goose, adhering tenaciously to the cranberry sauce.

It was easier to decide on the goose than it was to procure it, and some
time was consumed in the search. Mr. Opp brought all his mental powers
to bear on the subject, and attacked the problem with a zeal that
merited success.

When he reached home at noon with his arm full of bundles, Aunt Tish met
him with lamentations.

"Dey ain't but one clean table-cloth, an' hit's got a hole in hit, an' I
can't find no sheets to