obliged," he said. "I was just loafing around and a
little curious, that's all. Thanks. Hope I haven't kept you too long.
Good-day."

Galusha followed the winding path up the face of the high bluff. When,
having reached its top, he paused to get fresh breath in place of that
he had lost, he looked down and saw his questioner standing where he had
left him and, apparently, still admiring the view.

The following afternoon they saw each other again. This time the
stranger was on the other side of the creek, wandering about at the
edge of the pine grove. He acknowledged Galusha's bow with a wave of the
hand, but he did not come nearer to ask more questions.

That evening, at the supper table, Mr. Bangs mentioned the meeting.
Primmie, who prided herself upon knowing every visitor in town and where
he or she came from, was ready with the information in this case.

"I know who he is," she declared. "His name's Williams and him and his
wife's stoppin' at the Restabit. They never meant to stay there only one
night, but his automobile blowed up or busted out somethin' and they had
to send to Boston to get a new one. It's a dreadful expensive kind of
a one, the auto is, one of them--them Pieced-Arrows, all upholstery
and drapery window curtains and places to put bouquets and your feet in
winter to warm 'em--your feet, I mean, not the bouquets--and--"

"There, there, Primmie," said Martha. "That will do. For mercy sakes,
how did you find out all that?"

"Their chauffeur told me. I know him, too. Him and me was introduced
last night when he stopped in to get a drink of water. His name is
Kelly, and he--"

"Wait a minute. When you and he were introduced, you say? Who introduced
you?"

"Why, he did, Miss Martha. You see, he was comin' along by and he see
me out settin' on the side steps, you know. And he stopped and he says:
'You look lonesome' he says. 'Well,' says I, 'I may LOOK so, but I
ain't; my savin' soul, no!' Then he wanted to know if he couldn't have a
drink of water and, of course--"

"Yes, I see--of course. I think you had better sit in the house this
evenin', Primmie."

The "Pieced-Arrow" car, with Mr. Kelly on the driver's seat and Mr. and
Mrs. Williams inside, left East Wellmouth at the end of that week. Yet
once more before the season closed Galusha fancied that he caught a
glimpse of that car's owner. The time was the first week in September
and Galusha, returning later than usual along the path from Sou