ients of mine. But the
Halls are not in Wellmouth now."

"They are not?"

"No, they went back to New York two weeks or more ago. Their cottage is
closed."

"Dear me!... Oh, dear!... Why, but--but there IS a hotel at Wellmouth?"

"Yes, a kind of hotel, but you mustn't think of going there to-night."
Then, with a motion of his hand, he indicated to Miss Phipps that he
wished to speak with her alone. She led the way to the kitchen and he
followed.

"Martha," he said, when the door closed, "to be absolutely honest with
you, that man in there shouldn't go out again to-night. He has been half
sick for some time, I judge from what he has told me, and he is weak and
worn out from his tramp and wetting."

Miss Phipps shook her head impatiently.

"The idea of Raish Pulcifer's cartin' him 'way over here and then
leavin' him in the middle of the road," she said. "It's just like
Raish, but that doesn't help it any; nothin' that's like Raish helps
anything--much," she added.

The doctor laughed.

"I'm beginning to believe you're right, Martha," he agreed.

"I'm pretty sure I am. I think I know Raish Pulcifer by this time; I
almost wish I didn't. Father used to say that if ignorance was bliss the
home for feeble-minded folks ought to be a paradise. But I don't
know; sometimes I wish I wasn't so wise about some things; I might be
happier."

Her pleasant, comely face had clouded over. Doctor Powers thought he
understood why.

"Haven't heard anything hopeful about the Wellmouth Development Company,
have you?" he asked.

"Not a word. I've almost given up expectin' to. How about you?"

"Oh, I've heard nothing new. Well, I've got only ten shares, so the
loss, if it is a loss, won't break me. But Cap'n Jethro went in rather
heavily, so they say."

"I believe he did."

"Yes. Well, it may be all right, after all. Raish says all we need is
time."

"Um-hm. And that's all the Lord needed when He made the world. He made
it in six days. Sometimes when I'm out of sorts I wonder if one
more week wouldn't have given us a better job.... But there, that's
irreverent, isn't it, and off the track besides? Now about this little
Bangs man. What ought to be done with him?"

"Well, as I say, he shouldn't go out to-night. Of course he'll have to."

"Why will he have to?"

"Because he needs to go to bed and sleep. I thought perhaps I could get
him down to the light and Cap'n Jethro and Lulie could give him a room."

"There's a room