orant of the
possibilities of the profession.

The face of the man was a fine tan, against which eyes, teeth, and
moustache came out in brisk relief. The moustache avoided the
tropical tint of the upper hair and was content with a modest
brown. The owner came right along, walking with a stiff, strong,
straddling gait, like a man not used to that way of travelling.

Miss Mattie eyed him in some fear. He would be by her house
directly, and it was hardly modest to sit aggressively on one's
front porch, while a strange man went by--particularly, such a very
strange man as this! Yet a thrill of curiosity held her for the
moment, and then it was too late, for the man stopped and asked
little Eddie Newell, who was playing placidly in the dust--all the
children played placidly in Fairfield--asked Eddie, in a voice
which reached Miss Mattie plainly, although the owner evidently
made no attempt to raise it, if he knew where Miss Mattie Saunders
lived?

Eddie had not noticed the large man's approach, and nearly fell
over in a fright; but seeing, with a child's intuition, that there
was no danger in this fierce-looking person, he piped up instantly.

"Y-y-yessir!--I kin tell yer where she lives--Yessir! She lives
right down there in that little house--I kin go down with you jes'
swell 's not! Why, there she is now, on the stoop!"

"Thankee sonny," said the big voice. "Here's for miggles," and
Miss Mattie caught the sparkle of a coin as it flew into the grimy
fists of Eddie.

"Much obliged!" yelled Eddie and vanished up the street.

Miss Mattie sat transfixed. Her breath came in swallows and her
heart beat irregularly. Here was novelty with a vengeance! The
big man turned and fastened his eyes upon her. There was no
retreat. She noticed with some reassurance that his eyes were
grave and kindly.

As he advanced Miss Mattie rose in agitation, unconsciously putting
her hand on her throat--what could it mean?

The gate was opened and the stranger strode up the cinder walk to
the porch. He stopped a whole minute and looked at her. At last.

"Well, Mattie!" he said, "don't you know me?"

A flood of the wildest hypotheses flashed through Miss Mattie's
mind without enlightening her. Who was this picturesque giant who
stepped out of the past with so familiar a salutation? Although
the porch was a foot high, and Miss Mattie a fairly tall woman,
their eyes were almost on a level, as she looked at him in wonder.