ting; and the
doctor answered:

"Say, Jim, come here. I've got a good one for you. This is a brand-new
one." They walked down the boardwalk to the place where most of the
offices were and there read on a newly placed signboard the legend:

"John and Hannah Higginbotham, Insurance Agents."

"How is that?" said Carson, as he lit a cigar.

"Well, I'll be--surprised," was the answer.

As Jim looked in astonishment the door was opened and a dapper little
man with a fuzzy red beard appeared.

"Good morning, gentlemen, good morning!" he said, in a perfectly good
Yankee twang. "Can I do anything for you to-day in my line? Step in,
gentlemen; I'm John Higginbotham." They entered and, behind the desk,
sighted a stout woman of medium size, middle age, and moderately good
appearance.

"Hannah, these are two of our fellow townsfolk, calling. Excuse me,
gentlemen, I didn't get your names." He was enlightened and prattled on:
"Oh, Reverend Hartigan and Dr. Carson. Good! Healing for the body and
healing for the soul, and my healing is for the estate--happy trinity,
isn't it? Sit down, gentlemen."

"Can we do anything for you in our line?" said the buxom lady behind the
desk, in a strong, deep voice; and now Jim noticed for the first time
her square jaw and her keen eye that brightened as she spoke.

"Not at present, thank you," said Jim. "We are merely making a
neighbourly call."

"The fact is," said Dr. Carson, "the thing that stopped us this morning
was your new signboard."

"There! There! I told you so; I told you it was good business," said the
little man. "The first thing in commerce is to have a good article and
the next is to win the attention of the public. I felt sure it was a
good move."

"You've got the attention of the whole town at one stroke," said Carson.
"If you have the wares to follow it up----"

"Wares! My company is The Merchants' Mutual. It is the----"

Realizing that he had injudiciously turned on a hydrant, Carson said
heartily:

"Oh, yes, yes; of course; I should have known. Why, every one knows that
The Merchants' Mutual is one of _the_ companies. How did you come in, by
rail or by the trail?"

At this point, Hannah rose and, passing out of the door, gave a
momentary glimpse of a kitchen stove with pots and kettles boiling.

John smiled blandly, raised a flat hand with an oratorical gesture:

"Ah, that is an important question, and bears directly on the signboard.
You see, we came from B