h, come morning she was gone. Cut down like a--well!" he paused
again and reflected. "I don't know as you'd call Ma exactly a flower,
nor yet was she what you'd call real fruity, though ripe."

"Call it grain!" said Calvin Parks gravely. "First crop oats, or good
winter wheat; either of them, Sam, would represent your Ma good. Well, I
certinly am astounded to find that she is gone. But that don't tell me
the rest of it, Sam. Where's Sim?"

"Sim," replied the little man, turning his eyes toward the open door;
"Sim is--"

At this moment a singular sound came from beyond the door; a sound half
cough, half call, and all cackle.

"That's Sim!" said Mr. Sam. "You'll find him in there!"

Calvin Parks's large brown eyes seemed to grow quite round; he stared at
the little man for a moment; then "Red-top and timothy!" he muttered;
"there's something queer here!" and stepped quickly into the other room.

A stranger would have said, here was a juggler's trick. The little
snuff-colored man sitting hunched in the low chair was apparently the
same man, but he had changed his red waistcoat for a black one, and had
whisked himself in some unaccountable way into another room. But Calvin
Parks knew better.

"How are you, Sim?" he said.

"Calvin," said the second little man, "I am pleased to see you, real
pleased! Be seated! In regards to your question, I am middlin', sir,
only middlin'."

Calvin Parks sat down, his eyes still round and staring. "What's the
matter?" he asked abruptly.

"Some thinks it's lumbago," said the little man; "and more calls it
neurology. There is them," he added cautiously, "as has used the word
tuber-clossis; I don't hold with that myself, but I'm doctorin' for all
three, not to take no chances."

"All that be blowed!" said Calvin Parks. "What's the matter between you
two? Why are you sittin' here and Sam in t'other room, you that have set
side by side ever since you knew how to sit? Siamese Twins you've been
called ever since born you was; dressed alike, fed alike, and reared
alike; and now look at you! What's the matter, I say?"

The little man cast a look toward the door, a duplicate of the look
which Calvin Parks had seen cast from the other side of it. Then he
leaned forward, and fixed his sharp gray eyes on his visitor.

"Calvin Parks," he said, "you never was a twin!"

"No, I warn't!" said Calvin Parks.

The little man waved his hand. "That's all I've got to say!" he said.
"We was. That'