is, frankly, not so much on account of the
young people as to pacify my wife. I am not afraid--not very much afraid
of this love affair. They are young, both of them. Give them time,
and--as you say, Snow, the thing may run down, peter out."

"I'm in hopes 'twill. It's calf love, as I see it, and I believe 'twill
pay to give the calves rope enough."

"So do I. No, I'm not much troubled about the young people. But Mrs.
Fosdick--well, my trouble will be with her. She'll want to have your boy
shot or jailed or hanged or something."

"I presume likely. I guess you'll have to handle her the way another
feller who used to live here in South Harniss said he handled his wife.
'We don't never have any trouble at all,' says he. 'Whenever she says
yes or no, I say the same thing. Later on, when it comes to doin', I do
what I feel like.' . . . Eh? You're not goin', are you, Mr. Fosdick?"

His visitor had risen and was reaching for his coat. Captain Zelotes
also rose.

"Don't hurry, don't hurry," he begged.

"Sorry, but I must. I want to be back in New York tomorrow morning."

"But you can't, can you? To do that you'll have to get up to Boston or
Fall River, and the afternoon train's gone. You'd better stay and have
supper along with my wife and me, stay at our house over night, and take
the early train after breakfast to-morrow."

"I wish I could; I'd like nothing better. But I can't."

"Sure?" Then, with a smile, he added: "Al needn't eat with us, you know,
if his bein' there makes either of you feel nervous."

Fosdick laughed again. "I think I should be willing to risk the
nervousness," he replied. "But I must go, really. I've hired a chap
at the garage here to drive me to Boston in his car and I'll take the
midnight train over."

"Humph! Well, if you must, you must. Hope you have a comf'table trip,
Mr. Fosdick. Better wrap up warm; it's pretty nigh a five-hour run to
Boston and there's some cool wind over the Ostable marshes this time of
year. Good-by, sir. Glad to have had this talk with you."

His visitor held out his hand. "So am I, Snow," he said heartily.
"Mighty glad."

"I hope I wasn't too short and brisk at the beginnin'. You see, I'd
just read your wife's letter, and--er--well, of course, I didn't
know--just--you see, you and I had never met, and so--"

"Certainly, certainly. I quite understand. And, fool's errand or not,
I'm very glad I came here. If you'll pardon my saying so, it was worth
the trip t