t think it
was an accident, jest the difference of that one little letter. Not that
I intend marryin' again--I am through with marryin' forever--it's you,
Miner Hobbs, I'm worryin' over." Here, because of his earnestness,
Ambrose left his place and coming across the aisle looked down over the
wire netting upon his friend. "Miner," he repeated as sternly as he was
able, "your time has come. There ain't nothin' so no 'count on earth as
an old bachelor. It's worse than an old maid and different, because
perhaps an old maid couldn't help gettin' left out, but the Lord's given
every man a chance to improve his condition jest by askin'. Course he
may have to ask more'n one and mebbe more'n once, but there ain't no
age limit to stop him. Then think, Miner, what chances always lies in
villages. Why, villages is nature's nunneries. Ain't it time fer you to
do a man's part?"

There was silence for a little time, Miner making no response, although
from over in his corner Moses growled in his sleep.

Then the tall man coughed apologetically. He looked tired, as though he
had been awake many hours the night before. "I didn't mean to rile you
any," he continued, "only I can't help thinkin' that a man without a
wife is like a little boat a-floatin' on the sea of life without a
rudder and bound for nowhere in particular. Ef you don't marry you'll be
awful sorry when you're an old man, Miner, and ef you've been kind of
overfed on Pennyrile girls, why, this here new school teacher----"

Miner fairly bounced up and down on his stool in his impatience. "Lord,
why shouldn't I be sorry when I'm old instead of when I'm young? Mebbe I
won't live to get old and then I'd 'a' made myself wretcheder'n a slave
and all fer nothin'."

At this second, the door opening, the speaker collapsed, while Ambrose
shot backward behind the counter toward the rear of the shop. A flood of
June sunshine entered with the girl, and Ambrose heard her name for the
second time as she asked the terrified Miner for her mail. He also saw
her plainly. She was twenty-five or perhaps a little more, with hair
that was brown or gold as the light shone upon it; gray eyes set wide
apart--eyes that might at times be cold and then shine warmly like a
cloud suddenly shot through by the sun; her mouth was larger and her
chin firmer than beauty requires, and yet both showed curves of frequent
and redeeming laughter. She was tall, with broad shoulders and a slender
body, and there