his grave thirty days, and Hiram was just
getting into the work of running the place, with success looming ahead.

He had refused Mr. Bronson's offer of a position and had elected to
stick by Mrs. Atterson. He had looked forward to nothing to disturb the
contract between them until the time should be fulfilled.

Yet one afternoon, while he was at work in the garden, Sister came out
to him all in a flurry.

"Mis' Atterson wants you! Mis' Atterson wants you!" cried the girl. "Oh,
Hiram! something dreadful's going to happen. I know, by the way Mis'
Atterson looks. And I don' like the looks o' that man that's come to see
her."

Hiram unhooked the horse at the end of the row and left Sister to lead
him to the stable. He went into the house after knocking the mud off his
boots.

There, sitting in the bright kitchen, was the sharp-featured,
snaky-looking man with whom Hiram had once talked in town. He knew his
name was Pepper, and that he did something in the real estate line, and
insurance, and the like.

"Jest listen to what this man says, Hiram," said Mrs. Atterson, grimly.

"My name's Pepper," began the man, eyeing Hiram curiously.

"So I hear," returned the young farmer.

"Before old Mr. Atterson died we got to talking one day when he was in
town about his selling."

"Well?" returned Hiram. "You didn't say anything about that when you
offered twelve hundred for this place."

"Well," said the man, stubbornly, "that was a good offer."

Hiram turned to Mrs. Atterson. "Do you want to sell for that price?"

"No, I don't, Hi," she said.

"Then that settles it, doesn't it? Mrs. Atterson is the owner, and she
knows her own mind."

"I made Uncle Jeptha a better offer," said Mr. Pepper, "and I'll make
Mrs. Atterson the same--sixteen hundred dollars. It's a run-down farm,
of course----"

"If Mrs. Atterson doesn't want to sell," interrupted Hiram, but here his
employer intervened.

"There's something more, Hi," she said, her face working "strangely.
Tell him, you Pepper!"

"Why, the old man gave me an option on the place, and I risked a twenty
dollar bill on it. The option had--er--a year to run; dated February
tenth last; and I've decided to take the option up," said Mr. Pepper,
his shrewd little eyes dancing in their gaze from Hiram to the old lady
and back again.

CHAPTER XVIII. A HEAVY CLOUD

Now, a rattlesnake is poisonous, but he gives fair warning; a swamp
moccasin lies in wait for the unwary an