im upon surrounding company. Not
having the key of the position, Robert failed to connect these absences,
although just then they were being connected in a very marked manner at
Cedar Creek.

Zack wanted to speak on a particular subject to his lofty neighbour, but
somehow it stuck in his throat. His usual audacity was at fault. Mr.
Wynn had never seemed so inaccessible, though in reality he was making
an effort to be unusually bland to a person he disliked. For the first
time in his existence, cringing Zack feared the face of mortal man.

'Spell o' warm weather, squire, ain't it, rayther? I wor jest a sayin'
to Silas Duff here that I never want to see no better day for loggin', I
don't.'

'It is indeed beautifully fine,' answered Mr. Wynn, who was generally
called in the neighbourhood 'the squire,' a sort of compliment to his
patriarchal and magisterial position. 'I hope our friend Davidson will
have his work cleared off satisfactorily before dark.'

'Oh, no fear, squire, no fear, I guess. There's good teams a-field. Them
cattle druv by my lad Nim are the finest in the township, I reckon.'

'Indeed!' quoth Mr. Wynn, who just knew an ox from an ass.

''Tain't a losin' game to keep a store in the bush, ef you be a smart
man,' observed Zack, with a leer, after a few minutes' devotion to the
contents of his tin plate. By this adjective 'smart' is to be understood
'sharp, overreaching'--in fact, a cleverness verging upon safe dishonesty.
'I guess it's the high road to bein' worth some punkins, ef a feller has
sense to invest his money well.'

'I daresay,' rejoined Mr. Wynn vaguely, looking down on the mean crooked
face.

'Fact, squire, downright fact. Now, I don't mind tellin' _you_, squire,'
lowering his voice to a whisper, 'that I've cleared a hundred per cent.
on some sales in my time; an' the money hain't been idle since, you may
b'lieve. Thar! that's sharp tradin', I guess?'

'Yes, sir, very sharp indeed.' Mr. Wynn's face by no means reflected the
Yankee's smile. But Zack saw in his gravity only a closer attention to
the important subject of gain.

'I've shares in a big bank in New York, that returns me fifteen per
cent.--every copper of it: an' I've two of the best farms in the
township--that's countin' Daisy Burn, whar I'll foreclose some day soon,
I guess.'

'You are a prosperous man, as you calculate prosperity, Mr. Bunting.'

'I guess I ain't nothin' else' answered the storekeeper, with
satisfaction.