hy you are anxious about
the state of Mr. Linden's health?"

"Don't know as I said I was anxious--" said Squire Deacon. "When a
man's lived in a place as long as he has, it's nothing wonderful if
folks ask whether he's going to hold on. All the women in my house
think he's dead and buried, now."

"Ah! He's a favourite in that line, is he?"

"Other lines just as much--for all I know," said the Squire. "Can't say
I ever just went in for all Mr. Simlins says nor all Parson Somers
says, neither,--can't help that, doctor, if he is one o' your folks."

"What have you against him?"

"I don't say nothing against him," said Squire Deacon,--"except he's a
fine man. Maybe you think that is."

"Is there anything further you would like to say on any subject, sir?"

"Not much, I guess, if _that's_ the time o' day," said Squire Deacon
looking at him with a queer little bit of a smile. "'Taint useful to
get stirred up that way, doctor, just because a man wishes you a good
journey. But I can just as easy wish you another overturn--I s'pose
you're pretty sure to get one or t'other out o' the horses. It's all
one to me--and I dare say it is to everybody else."

"What is your name, sir?" said the doctor standing and looking at him
in a sort of mazed consideration.

"My name's Sam Deacon,"--said the Squire with his peculiar sort of
sullen composure. "Your father and I've always been friends, anyhow."

"Then Mr. Deacon will you have the goodness to under stand that I am
not an agent for the transaction of Mr. Linden's affairs; but as I am a
friend of his, I will inform him that you are interested in the
subject. That is all, sir?"

"I'll go bail for the first part of that!" said Squire Deacon. "But
it's your affairs I'm talkin' of--not his'n. And I s'pose I've as good
a right as all the rest of Pattaquasset--and give no offence, neither.
I was goin' to make you my compliments, doctor--that's all; and if you
don't think you'll ever want 'em, why there's no harm done--and enough
said. All I want to know is, what do you get so stirred up for?"

"Is that all?" said the doctor, as if he had a mind to know the whole
before giving an answer.

"All what?" said Squire Deacon.

"All that you wish to communicate?"

"I haven't communicated anything yet," said the Squire. "I guess you
knew all that before."

"Well," said the doctor, half laughing, though his expression had
changed more than once during the last five minutes,--"then my