they failed, it would be very pleasing to them if they
could get supper and lodging in Beartown. Would the good woman advise
them where to apply?

She replied that she would be glad to meet their wants, though they would
be disappointed with the poor meals and lodging, for she knew they must
be accustomed to much better. This was the invitation for which Mike was
angling and he promptly accepted, assuring the woman that it was a fine
piece of good fortune which more than repaid them for the disabling of
their engine.

"They may repair it and go home," suggested Nora.

"That will make no difference, for I sha'n't return to them till night
comes and then they'll have no ch'ice."

"They may not wait for you," said Nora.

"Little fear of their laving widout me, so nothing will be done till I
arrive, as Brian O'Lynn said when he was walking forth to be hanged."

With no other purpose in mind than to force his friends to stay over
night in the village, Mike Murphy loitered. When the mother and daughter
were not engaged with customers he entertained them by his quaint
remarks, which kept the smile on their faces. He had seated himself, on
the invitation of Nora, in a chair at the rear of the store, where he was
in no one's way and where he could make use of his eyes. Thus it came
about that he observed several interesting facts.

Mrs. Friestone and Nora made up the whole force of the store, which did a
considerable trade in groceries and articles such as a village community
needs. Furthermore, the abundant and excellent stock showed that the
owner was not only enterprising but understood her business. The other
store in Beartown hardly rose to the dignity of a rival.

It may as well be said at this point that her husband, who had been dead
six years, went through the whole war for the Union and was badly wounded
several times. President Grant personally complimented Captain Friestone
for his bravery in battle, and when he became President appointed him as
postmaster at Beartown. He suffered so grievously from his old wounds
that the small post office and his pension were all that saved him and
his young wife from actual want. He took up storekeeping in a small way,
gradually branching out until he had established a flourishing business,
whereupon he did an almost unheard of thing. As soon as he knew his
future was secure, he notified the government that he would no longer
accept a pension and he stuck to the resolutio