isage was sullen and the set of
his jaws was ugly. Mr. Parrott had eyes that turned out from his nose,
and though the Cap'n and Hiram were on opposite sides of the room
it seemed as though his peculiar vision enabled him to fix an eye
on each at the same time.

"I'm glad I found you here both together," he snarled. "I can tell
you both at one whack. I ain't got northin' against you. You've used
me like gents. I don't mean to dump you, nor northin' of the sort,
but there ain't anything I can seem to do. You take what there
is--this here is all that belongs to me." He shook the valises at
them. "I'm goin' to git out of this God-forsaken town--I'm goin' now,
and I'm goin' strong, and you're welcome to all I leave, just as I
leave it. For the first time in my life I'm glad I'm a widderer."

After gazing at Mr. Parrott for a little time the Cap'n and Hiram
searched each the other's face with much interest. It was apparent
that perfect confidence did not exist between them on some matters
that were to the fore just then.

"Yours," said Mr. Parrott, jerking a stiff nod to the Cap'n, "is a
morgidge on house and stable and land. Yours," he continued, with
another nod at Hiram, "is a bill o' sale of all the furniture, dishes,
liv'ry critters and stable outfit. Take it all and git what you can
out of it."

"This ain't no way to do--skip out like this," objected Hiram.

"Well, it's _my_ way," replied Mr. Parrott, stubbornly, "and, seein'
that you've got security and all there is, I don't believe you can
stop me."

Mr. Parrott dropped his valises and whacked his fists together.

"If the citizens of this place don't want a hotel they needn't have
a hotel," he shrilled. "If they want to turn wimmen loose on me to
run me up a tree, by hossomy! I'll pull the tree up after me."

"Look here, Ferd," said the Cap'n, eagerly, forgetting for the moment
the presence of Constable Nute, "those wimmen might gabble a little
at you and make threats and things like that--but--but--there isn't
anything they can do, you understand!" He winked at Mr. Parrott. "You
know what I told you!"

But Mr. Parrott was in no way swayed or mollified.

"They _can't'_ do anything, can't they?" he squealed. "They've been
into my house and knocked in the head of a keg of Medford rum, and
busted three demijohns of whiskey, and got old Branscomb to sign the
pledge, and scared off the rest of the boys. Now they're goin' to
hire a pung, and a delegation of thr