ut the folks here all gets their shoes at the drug
store. Mr. Toddlinger's been carrying a line of shoes along with his
pills and plasters ever sence he went into business."

Mr. Opp looked up at the large sign overhead. "If you and Mr. Tucker
wasn't both in the hotel business, I might be thinking of considering
that."

This proposition tickled Jimmy immensely. Chuckles of amusement agitated
his rotund figure.

"Why don't you buy us both out?" he asked. "We could sell out for
nothing and make money."

"Why, there's three boarders sitting over at Our Hotel now," said Mr.
Opp, who rather fancied himself in the role of a genial host.

"Yes," said Jimmy. "Old man Tucker's had 'em hanging out on the line all
morning. I don't guess they got strength enough to walk around much
after the meals he give 'em."

"Of course," said Mr. Opp, wholly absorbed in his own affairs, "this is
just temporarily for the time being, as it were. In a year or so, when
my financial condition is sorter more established in a way, I intend to
put through that oil-wells proposition. The fact that I am aiming at
arriving to is what would you think the Cove was at present most in need
of?"

"Elbow-grease," said Jimmy, promptly. "The only two things that we ain't
got that a city has, is elbow-grease and a newspaper."

For a moment there was a silence, heavy with significance. Mr. Fallows's
gaze penetrated the earth, while Mr. Opp's scanned the heavens; then
they suddenly looked at each other, and the great idea was born.

An editor! Mr. Opp's whole being thrilled responsive to the call. The
thought of dwelling above the sordid bartering of commercial life, of
being in a position to exercise those mental powers with which he felt
himself so generously endowed, almost swept him off his feet. He had
been a reporter once; for two golden weeks he had handed in
police-court reports that fairly scintillated with verbal gems plucked
at random from the dictionary. But the city editor had indicated as
kindly as possible that his services were no longer required, vaguely
suggesting that it was necessary to reduce the force; and Mr. Opp had
assured him that he understood perfectly, and that he was ready to
return at any future time. That apprenticeship, brief though it was,
served as a foundation upon which Mr. Opp erected a tower of dazzling
possibilities.

"What's the matter with you takin' Mr. Gusty's old printin'-shop and
startin' up business for you