conductor came in, after the train started, and seemed disposed to
be sociable. He had apparently gathered from the station-master so much
of Gaites's personal history as had accumulated since he left the
express train at Middlemount.

"Thought you'd try a caboose for a little change from a pahla-cah," he
suggested, humorously.

"Well, yes," Gaites partially admitted. "I did intend to stay over at
Middlemount when I left the express there, but I changed my mind and
decided to go on. It's very good of you to let me come with you."

"'Tain't but a little way to Lowa Merritt," the conductor explained,
defensively. "Eva been the'a?"

"Oh, yes; I passed a week or so there once, after I left college. Are
you acquainted there?"

"I'm _from_ the'a. Used to wo'k fo' the Desmonds--got that summa place
up the side of the mountain--before I took to the ro-ad."

"Oh, yes! Have they still got it?"

"Yes. Or it's got _them_. Be glad to sell it, I guess, since the old man
lost his money. But Lowa Merritt's kind o' gone down as a summa roso't.
Tryin' ha'd to bring it up, though. Know the Desmonds?"

"No, not personally."

"Nice fo-aks," said the conductor, providing himself for conversational
purposes with a splinter from the floor. He put it between his teeth and
continued: "I took ca' thei' hosses, one while, as long's they _had_
any, before I went on the ro-ad. Old gentleman kep' up a show till he
died; then the fam'ly found out that they hadn't much of anything but
the place left. Girls had to do something, and one of 'em got a place in
a school out West--smaht, _all_ of 'em; the second one kind o' runs the
fahm; and the youngest, here, 's been fittin' for a music-teacha. Why,
I've got a piano for her in this cah that we picked up at Middlemount,
_now_. Been two wintas at the Conservatory in Boston. Got talent enough,
they tell _me_. Undastand 't she means to go to Pohtland in the fall and
try to get pupils, _the'a_."

"Not if _I_ can help it!" thought Gaites, with a swelling heart; and
then he blushed for his folly.

VI.

Gaites found some notable changes in the hotel at Lower Merritt since he
had last sojourned there. It no longer called itself a Hotel, but an
Inn, and it had a brand-new old-fashioned swinging sign before its door;
its front had been cut up into several gables, and shingled to the
ground with shingles artificially antiquated, so that it looked much
grayer than it naturally ought. Within it was equ