or Jed's expression had changed; his hand moved across his chin.

"Eh--er--references?" he repeated.

"Why, why, of course. I'd want references from the folks he'd
worked for, statin' that he was honest and capable and all that.
With those I'd hire him in two minutes, as I said. You fetch him
along and see. So long, Jed. See you later."

He hustled out, stopping to tear from the outer door the placard
directing callers to call at Abijah Thompson's. Jed returned to
his box and sat down once more to ponder. In his innocence it had
not occurred to him that references would be required.

That evening, about nine, he crossed the yard and knocked at the
back door of the little house. Mrs. Armstrong answered the knock;
Barbara, of course, was in bed and asleep. Ruth was surprised to
see her landlord at that, for him, late hour. Also, remembering
the unceremonious way in which he had permitted her to depart at
the end of their interview that forenoon, she was not as cordial as
usual. She had made him her confidant, why she scarcely knew;
then, after expressing great interest and sympathy, he had suddenly
seemed to lose interest in the whole matter. She was acquainted
with his eccentricities and fits of absent-mindedness, but
nevertheless she had been hurt and offended. She told herself that
she should have expected nothing more from "Shavings" Winslow, the
person about whom two-thirds of Orham joked and told stories, but
the fact remained that she was disappointed. And she was angry,
not so much with him perhaps, as with herself. WHY had she been so
foolish as to tell any one of their humiliation?

So when Jed appeared at the back door she received him rather
coldly. He was quite conscious of the change in temperature, but
he made no comment and offered no explanation. Instead he told his
story, the story of his interview with Captain Hunniwell. As he
told it her face showed at first interest, then hope, and at the
last radiant excitement. She clasped her hands and leaned toward
him, her eyes shining.

"Oh, Mr. Winslow," she cried, breathlessly, "do you mean it? Do
you really believe Captain Hunniwell will give my brother a
position in his bank?"

Jed nodded slowly. "Yes," he said, "I think likely he might.
Course 'twouldn't be any great of a place, not at first--nor ever,
I cal'late, so far as that goes. 'Tain't a very big bank and wages
ain't--"

But she interrupted. "But that doesn't make any