achelor may be said to have a home, Mrs. Barnes," he added,
graciously. "However, I am sure even an unfortunate single person like
myself may find a real home under your roof. You see, your reputation
had preceded you, ma'am. Ha, ha! yes. As I say, the location is the only
point which has caused me to hesitate. My--er--offices are on the Main
Road near the postoffice and that is nearly a mile from here. But, we'll
waive that point, ma'am. Six dollars a week for the room and seven for
meals, you say. Thirteen dollars--an unlucky number: Ha, ha! Suppose we
call it twelve and dodge the bad luck, eh? That would seem reasonable,
don't you think?"

Thankful shook her head. "Altogether too reasonable, Mr. Daniels, I'm
afraid," she replied. "I've cut my rates so close now that I'm afraid
they'll catch cold in bad weather. Thirteen dollars a week may be
unlucky, but twelve would be a sight more unlucky--for me. I can let you
have a side room, of course, and that would be cheaper."

But Mr. Daniels did not wish a side room; he desired a front room
and, at last, consented to pay the regular rate for it. But when the
arrangement was concluded Thankful could not help feeling that she had
taken advantage of an unworldly innocence.

Captain Obed Bangs, when she told him, reassured her.

"Don't worry, ma'am," he said. "I wouldn't lay awake nights fearin' I'd
got ahead of Heman Daniels much. If you have got ahead of him you're the
only person I ever see that did, and you ought to be proud instead of
ashamed. And I'd get him to make his offer in writin' and you lock up
the writin'."

"Why! Why, Captain Obed! How you do talk! You don't mean that Mr.
Daniels is a cheat, do you? You don't mean such a thing as THAT?"

The captain waved a protesting hand.

"No, no," he declared. "I wouldn't call any lawyer a cheat. That's too
one-sided a deal to be good business. The expense of hirin' counsel is
all on one side if it ever comes to a libel suit. And besides, I don't
think Daniels is a cheat. I never heard of him doin' anything that
wa'n't legally honest. He's sharp and he's smart, but he's straight
enough. I was only jokin', Mrs. Barnes. Sometimes I think I ought to
hang a lantern on my jokes; then folks would see 'em quicker."

So Mr. Daniels came, and Mr. Hammond came, and so also did Miss Timpson.
The first dinner was served in the big dining-room and it was a success,
everyone said so. Beside the boarders there were invited guests,