have seen him
blush.

"Look here," says Plummer. "You may be what you say you are, and then
again you may not. Perhaps you just guessed at the girl's name. We can't
afford to take any chances. The only way to settle it is to send for
Selma."

"No, no!" pleads the big gink. "Please! Not like this."

"Yes, just like that," insists Plummer. "Only, if you'd rather, you can
carry your house back where it belongs and sit down. John, run home and
bring Selma here."

Well, we had our man nicely tamed now. With Selma liable to show up, he
was ready to do as he was told. Just why, we couldn't make out. Anyway,
he hobbles back to the crossin' and eases the shack down where he found
it. Also, he slumps inside on the bench and waits, durin' which
proceedin' the last trolley goes boomin' past.

Inside of ten minutes John is back with the maid. Kind of a slim,
classy-lookin' girl she is, too. And when Selma sees that big face at
the round window there's no doubt about his being the chosen one.

"Oh, Nels, Nels!" she wails out. "Vy you don'd coom by the house yet?"

"I was scart, Selma," says Nels, "for fear you'd tell me to go away."

"But--but I don'd, Nels," says Selma.

"Shall I let him out for the fade-away scene?" says I.

Plummer nods. And we had to turn our backs as they go to the fond
clinch.

Accordin' to Plummer, Selma had been waitin' for Nels to say the word
for more'n a year, and for the last two months she'd been so
absent-minded and moody that she hadn't been of much use around the
house. But him gettin' himself boxed up as an escaped Hun had sort of
broken the ice.

"There, now!" says Plummer. "You two go back to the house and talk it
over. You may have until three-fifteen to settle all details, and then
I'll have John drive Petersen down to his ferry-boat. Be sure and fix
the day, though. I don't want to go through another night like this."

"But what about me little lawn," demands Danny, "that's tore up
entirely? And who's to mend me stove-pipe and all?"

"Oh, here's something that will cover all that, Danny," says Plummer,
slippin' him a ten-spot. "And I've no doubt Petersen will contribute
something, too."

"Sure!" says Nels, fishin' in his pockets.

"Two bits!" says Danny, pickin' up the quarter scornful. "Thim Swedes
are the tightwads! And if ever I find this wan kidnappin' me little
house again----"

At which Danny breaks off and shakes his fist menacin'.

When I gets back home I tiptoes