ll about. I never fainted away in my life that I know
of, but I think I 'most fainted then."

"And you cared as much as that?"

"Yes."

Somehow both were speaking quietly, but as if it was useless longer to
keep back anything. To speak the exact truth without reserve seemed the
most natural thing in the world.

"Well, well, well!" said the Captain reverently, and still in the same
low tone. "I said once afore that I b'lieved you was sent here, and now
I'm sure of it. It seems almost as if you was sent to ME, don't it?"

The housekeeper still looked out of the window, but she answered simply,
"I don't know."

"It does, it does so. Marthy, we've been happy together while you've
been here. Do you b'lieve you could be happy with me always--if you
married me, I mean?"

Mrs. Snow turned and looked at him. There were tears in her eyes, but
she did not wipe them away.

"Yes," she said.

"Think now, Marthy. I ain't very young, and I ain't very rich."

"What am I?" with a little smile.

"And you really think you could be happy if you was the wife of an old
codger like me?"

"Yes." The answer was short, but it was convincing.

Captain Eri rose to his feet.

"Gosh!" he said in a sort of unbelieving whisper. "Marthy, are you
willin' to try?"

And again Mrs. Snow said "Yes."

When Dr. Palmer came he found Luther Davis still in bed, but Captain Eri
was up and dressed, and there was such a quiet air of happiness about
him that the man of medicine was amazed.

"Good Lord, man!" he exclaimed, "I expected to find you flat on your
back, and you look better than I've seen you for years. Taking a
salt-water bath in mid-winter must agree with you."

"It ain't so much that," replied the Captain serenely. "It's the pay I
got for takin' it."

When the Doctor saw Perez alone, he asked the latter to keep a close
watch on Captain Eri's behavior. He said he was afraid that the exertion
and exposure might have affected the Captain's brain.

Perez, alarmed by this caution, did watch his friend very closely, but
he saw nothing to frighten him until, as they were about to start for
home, Captain Eri suddenly struck his thigh a resounding slap

"Jerry!" he groaned distressfully. "I clean forgot. I've gone back on
Jerry!"

CHAPTER XXI

"DIME-SHOW BUS'NESS"

Elsie and Captain Jerry were kept busy that afternoon. Abner Mayo's news
spread quickly, and people gathered at the post-office, the stores, and
the billiard r