f "airs" had been
abandoned.

"Fur," said Uncle Jake Wooten, who was a patriarch and an authority,
"when a man's a-gwine to put on airs, he kinder slicks up more. A man
that's airy, he ain't a-gwine to shut hisself up and not show out more.
Like as not he'd wear store-clothes an' hang round 'n' kinder blow; 'n'
this feller don't do nary one. 'N' as to the woman, Lord! I should think
all you'unses knows how womenfolks does that's airy. Ef this yere one wus
that way, she'd be a-dressin' in starched calikers 'n' sunbonnets 'n'
bress-pins, 'n' mebbe rings 'n' congrist-gaiters. She'd be to the meetin'
every time there was meetin' a-showin' out 'n' lettin' on like she didn't
know the rest on 'em wus seein'. It don't sound to reason that either on
'em is airy."

It had been suggested by a bold spirit capable of more extended flights
of the imagination than the rest, that they were "Northerners" who for
some unworthy object had taken up their abode within the bound of
civilisation; but this idea was frowned down as being of a wild nature
and not to be encouraged.

Finally the general interest in the subject had subsided somewhat, though
it was ready to revive at any new comment or incident, which will explain
the bodily awakening of the sleepers on the post-office porch when Mr.
Stamps made his announcement of the approach of "thet thar feller."

Up to the moment when the impulse seized him which led him to take his
place behind the counter as the stranger entered the store, Tom De
Willoughby had taken little or no part in numerous discussions held
around him. He had listened with impartiality to all sides of the
question, his portion of the entertainment being to make comments of an
inspiriting nature which should express in a marked manner his sarcastic
approval of any special weakness in a line of argument.

Among the many agreeable things said of him in his past, it had never
been said that he was curious; he was too indolent to be curious, and it
may be simply asserted that he had felt little curiosity concerning the
popular mystery. But when he found himself face to face with his
customer, a new feeling suddenly took possession of him. The change came
when, for one instant, the man, as if in momentary forgetfulness, looked
up and met his eyes in speaking. Each moved involuntarily, and Tom turned
aside, ostensibly, to pick up a sheet of wrapping paper. The only words
exchanged were those relating to the courtesies and