e I believe neighbors ought
to be friendly."

"Is that all?" she asked, a wild and troubled expression in her dark
eyes. "No, not all, not quite all," he answered thoughtfully. "Had there
not been an attraction here----"

"Whut's 'attraction'?" she interrupted shyly.

"Something to bring a fellow." She could not seem to understand.

"Your hoss could a-done that."

Wade laughed outright. The silvery notes touched deep down into the
girl's very heart and soul, and she laughed a joyous laugh.

"I mean there is something on the other end to attract, to cause a
fellow to have a desire to go. For instance, a magnetic power attracts
other things, other bits of steel directly to it----"

"Whut's magnetic power?" she asked, interrupting.

"Haven't you seen a lodestone or a bit of steel in the shape of a
horseshoe that will pick up a needle of its own power?"

"I can do that. Is it a sign that I'm magnetic?"

"Sure. You are the power of attraction just now."

"Aw," she ejaculated, looking shyly at him, "I don't know whut you mean
yet."

"I'll bring a stone when I go to the village again and teach you
something of the power of magnetism."

"Ye needn't. I know all about that. Al Thompson said onct that I was so
powerful a magnetic that he jest couldn't keep away from me. Now I know
whut he meant."

"Who is Al Thompson?" asked Wade.

"Why, don't ye know? He's ther wolf--night-watch jest now."

"You are talking strange things to me, Nora. I don't know the
wolf--night-watch--at all." The girl placed her finger over her lips.
"Here comes Mam," she said.

The scrawny figure of Mrs. Judson appeared in the doorway. "Nora," she
said, drawling, "who'd ye say this man was?"

"His name is Jack. That's all I remember."

"Wade," said Jack, smiling.

"That's hit, Mam, Jack Wade. Well, he's ther newcomer, an' our
neighbor, an' he's come over ter make hisself 'quainted with us."

"Yer welcome, neighbor Wade," said Mrs. Judson. "Whar be ye from?"

"All the way from New York City."

"Phew!" whistled Nora, dangling her feet a little more furiously.
"That's ther biggest city whut hit is, haint it?"

"Well, the largest in the United States, at any rate."

"Be ye a-goin' ter raise terbacker----"

"Tobacco, Mam," corrected Nora, with a knowing wink.

"Whar'd yer l'arn ter be so smart?" asked Mrs. Judson angrily.

"From Jack here. He's been teachin' me ther smart ways of ther town
folks."

Jack smiled good-naturedly.