the money due?"

"Day after to-morrow."

"I can let you have it. What are you trying to do?"

"I am grabbing after your hand."

"Let it alone."

"But, my dear fellow, your kindness overwhelms me."

"Then don't take the money."

"Oh, yes, I shall; I am more than willing to be overwhelmed. Ha! I had
set my heart on you, and was afraid that you might not be back in time.
Thank the Lord for the man who comes in time. All others are a blotch
upon the face of the earth. Last night was a torture to me. More than
once my wife called out, 'You give me the fidgets with your walking up
and down. I want to sleep.' Sleep! There was no sleep for me. I saw the
sun rise, and I said to myself, 'If that man don't come you won't shine
for me to-day.' But you came, God bless you. Well, I'll turn off here
and go by home, to show them that I am not crushed into the earth, and
will see you at your house this evening."

Mrs. Stuvic saw Milford, and came out to the barnyard gate. She wanted
to ask him if he had seen any of her boarders, but had forgotten their
names. Some one had told her that Milford expected soon to quit the
place, and she asked him why he had not told her.

"I've told you as much as I have any one," said he. "I don't expect to
go before next spring."

"Well, we may all be dead and buried before then," she replied.

"Yes, all except you."

"You bet! Why, three men have been here lately wantin' to insure my
life. Did you see that girl? But I know you did. Why don't you buy the
farm and bring her out here? You could soon pay for it."

"I'd rather live in the West."

"The cat's foot! You don't know what you want. Was that the Professor
man with you over there on the hill? I couldn't see very well. He's
crazy. Yes, he is, as crazy as a loon, and I don't want him round here.
He might set the house afire. Don't you think he's crazy?"

"Well, he's one of the peculiar many that go to make up the world."

"He's one of the peculiar many that go to make up an asylum, I'll tell
you that. Everybody says he's crazy. Come in and set down a while."

"No, I must go home."

"You're in a mighty hurry now, ain't you? Crazy as a loon, and you ain't
fur behind him. Go on with you."

At night the Professor came whistling out of the dark. The sky was
moonless, but brighter, he said, than the sunrise contemplated by him in
the hour of his dejection. Once more had he proved himself a failure,
but consoled himself with the asse