, and the glance that met Calvin's was stern enough.

"What's wrong, sir?" Calvin inquired solicitously. "Ain't you feelin'
well? You don't seem like yourself."

"I ain't!" said Mr. Cheeseman briefly.

"I want to know!" said Calvin, with an inflection of sympathetic
inquiry. "Is it anything you feel disposed to mention, Mr. Cheeseman, or
do I intrude?"

"It's something I've got to mention!" said Mr. Cheeseman.

He looked at Calvin again, and meeting his glance of open wonder, his
own softened as if in spite of himself.

"Step inside, Mr. Parks!" he said, gravely. "I guess we've got to have a
little talk. Lonzo, you might run on home if you're a mind to; that's a
good son!"

In the warm, cosy kitchen, where the little stove still glowed like a
friendly demon, the old man took his customary seat, and Calvin Parks,
his brown eyes very round and large, sat down beside him. There was a
moment's silence; then--

"Friend Parks," said Mr. Cheeseman, "I've taken a great interest in you
ever since you first come to my store. You've been a man I liked, and a
man I trusted; and I've tried to help you when and how I could."

"I should say you had!" said Calvin warmly. "You've been the best friend
ever I had, Mr. Cheeseman, except one, and I want you to understand that
I appreciate it, sir."

"I've tried," Mr. Cheeseman repeated, "partly on the accounts just
mentioned, and partly because I understood you was wishful to marry a
lady that is well spoken of by all, and that you appeared to set store
by. That's so, ain't it?"

"That's so!" said Calvin briefly.

"Well, now!" the old man continued. "Havin' so helped, and so
understood, it ain't real pleasant to me to hear all round that you are
goin' to marry another woman."

"_What_!" Calvin Parks sprang from his seat, and seemed to fill the
little room. "Say that again! Me marry another woman? What do you mean,
sir?"

"Easy there!" said the old man fretfully. "Don't set down in the
butter-scotch; it's just behind ye. It's all over town that you are
goin' to marry Phrony Marlin a week from Sunday."

He looked up, and after one glance at Calvin, rose hurriedly in his
turn.

"There, friend Parks! there! don't say a word! I see by your face it
ain't true, and I ask your pardon. Set down, son!"

But Calvin Parks still towered up among the rafters, and his brown eyes
blazed down on the old candy-maker.

"It's a lie!" he said simply. "Don't tell me you believed it, Mr.