t, to
the old man at least, was significant.

"What gave you this turn? Is there anything on your mind? You might as
well tell now, as you will have to sooner or later, and Miss Maxwell
must go home presently. You'll have to put up with me for the rest of
the night and a man isn't as cheerful a companion as a woman--is he,
Amos?"

"No, yer right there, Mr. Blake, and it's the idee o' loneliness that's
upsettin' me! Come down ter facts, Mr. Blake, it's the offers I've had
fer the farm--yourn and hern--and my wishin' ter favour both and yet not
give it up myself, and the whole's too much fer me!"

"Hers! Has Miss Maxwell made a bid for the farm? What do you want it
for?" he said, turning quickly to Maria, who coloured and then replied
quietly--"To live in! which is exactly what you said when I asked you a
similar question a couple of months ago!"

"The p'int is," continued Amos, quickly growing more wide awake, and
addressing the ceiling as a neutral and impartial listener, "that Mr.
Blake has offered me five hundred more than Maria Maxwell, and though I
want ter favour her (in buyin', property goes to the highest bidder;
it's only contract work that's fetched by the lowest, and I never did
work by contract--it's too darned frettin'), I can't throw away good
money, and neither of 'em yet knows that whichsomever of 'em buys it
has got ter give me a life right ter live in the summer kitchen and
fetch my drinkin' water from the well in the porch! A lone widder man's
a sight helplesser 'n a widder, but yet he don't get no sympathy!"

_The Man from Everywhere_ began to laugh, and catching Maria's eye she
joined him heartily. "How do you mean to manage?" he asked in a way that
barred all thought of intrusion.

"I'm going to have a flower farm and take in two invalids--no, not
cranks or lunatics, but merely tired people," she added, a little catch
coming in her voice.

"Then you had better begin with me, for I'm precious tired of taking
care of myself, and here is Amos also applying, so I do not see but what
your establishment is already complete!"

Then, as he saw by her face that the subject was not one for jest, he
said, in his hearty way that Mary Penrose likes, "Why not let me buy the
place, as mine was the first offer, put it in order, and then lease it
to you for three years, with the privilege of buying if you find that
your scheme succeeds? If the house is too small to allow two lone men a
room each, I can add