apable and prosperous
lawyer indeed--if he gained such an idea and did not express it, how
could Heman be expected to contradict?

After dinner--Kendrick informed his friend it was one of the best he had
ever eaten--he and the captain walked over to the village, where they
spent the afternoon wandering about, inspecting the ex-barber-shop and
discussing chances and possibilities. The young man was still doubtful
of East Wellmouth's promise of professional opportunities. He should
like to live there, he said, and he might decide to do so, but as yet
he had not so decided. He seemed more pessimistic than during the drive
down from the station. Captain Obed, however, and oddly enough, was much
more optimistic than he had been at first.

"I don't know, John," he said, "but I ain't sure you couldn't make
good, and pretty good, too, by settlin' here. This section needs a good
lawyer."

"Another good lawyer you mean. Daniels is here, remember. Judging by his
remarks this noon he is very much here."

"Um--yes, I know. If you take his remarks at the value he marks 'em with
he's the whole bank and a safe-deposit vault hove in. But I wouldn't
wonder if those remarks was subject to a discount. Anyhow I know mighty
well there's a lot of folks in this town--good substantial folks,
too--who don't like him. They hire him once in a while because there
ain't another lawyer short of Trumet and that's quite a ways. But maybe
they'd be mighty glad to shift if there was a chance right at hand.
Don't you strike the colors yet awhile. Think it over first."

He insisted upon Kendrick's returning to the High Cliff House that
night. "I want Mrs. Barnes to show you the room she's got vacant," he
said. "Ain't no harm lookin' at a brindle calf, as the feller said; you
don't have to buy the critter unless you want to."

So Mr. Kendrick inspected the rooms and expressed himself as delighted
with them.

"They're all right in every respect, Captain," he declared. "And the
food is more than that. But the price--although it's surprisingly low
considering the value offered--is too steep for me. I'm afraid, if
I should locate here, for a trial trip, I couldn't afford to be
comfortable and I shouldn't expect to."

Captain Bangs remained to take supper with his friend. The meal
over, they and the rest of the boarders were seated in the big
living-room--once Captain Abner's "best parlor"--when there came from
outside the rattle of wheels and the voic