heir earnings. When they had
departed and he and Jess were alone, the worthy man who seemed to feel a
share of the general satisfaction, beamed with good nature.

"Money makes the mar' go," he said, "an', as the Irishman said, 'it's
swate Saturday night and sour Monday morning.' Ye've made a fine start,
Mr. Hardy, an' if things go well an' this 'ere company o' yourn don't
bust up, ye'll cum pretty near bein' the hull thing here. There's an old
saying here that 'It's time to dry fish when the sun shines,' an' now
with your sun shinin' it's purty good wisdom for ye to dry all the fish
ye kin. Things are onsartin in this world, an' there's no tellin' when a
sunny day's comin'. I'm goin' ter help yer all I kin, an' out o' good
will toward ye, 'n' hope things'll turn out all right. I'm sartin it
won't be yer fault if they don't."

"I'm glad to feel I've won your confidence, Mr. Hutton," answered Winn,
"and I feel sure there is no need of fearing any collapse of this
company. They are reputable business men, and have ample means; granite
is in good demand in the city, and certainly they would not have
invested in the quarry and set out to develop it, unless it was to make
money."

"Wal, mebbe," answered Jess, after a long pause, "an' I'm goin' to think
so. Distrustin' don't help matters, an' for the sake o' those men who
hev gone home happy to-night, I hope things'll turn out as ye 'spect."

Winn looked depressed, and for reason. To have the one man in Rockhaven
whose confidence he valued most express a word of distrust hurt.

"Oh, I ain't doubtin' you a mite," continued Jess, "an' no reason to
mistrust yer consarn, only I've had squalls hit me when least 'spectin'
'em, 'n' so got into the habit o' watchin' out fer 'em. It's jist as
well in this world, 'n' then ye ain't quite so likely to be caught
nappin'. Now t'other day ye mentioned the matter o' sellin' stock to us
folks here, an' that is all right, only it sorter 'curred to me if this
consarn o' yourn 'spected to make money quarryin' here, thar wa'n't no
real reason why they should want ter divide it with us folks, which is
what sellin' us stock 'mounts to in the end, an' as old Cap'n Doty would
say, 'hence my 'spicions.' I've hed a good many ups 'n' downs in this
world," he continued, in a philosophic tone, "an' while I allus try to
look on the bright side o' trouble, an' when it comes am glad 'tain't
any wuss, I've larned to be keerful--mighty keerful. Human natur'