re sharpness than he often
shewed, and which made Mrs. Derrick drop her knitting and look up.

"I thought you wasn't a married man--are you?" said Mr. Simlins, the
grin just shewing itself again on his face.

"Is that one of the charges brought against me?" said Mr. Linden, a
little too roused himself to pay much heed to Mr. Simlins' questions.

"Well I didn't know as you'd think it a 'charge,'" said Mr. Simlins
with an unchanged tone. "I guess you mean to make it true some day,
don't you?"

The question fell unheeded--the charge did not; it touched him deeply;
touched the proud sense of character; though no words gave evidence of
the fact.

"Faith, child," said Mrs. Derrick in that moment of silence, her
whisper as low as she thought would reach across the table, "ought we
to be here?"

But a very emphatic, "Yes!" from the window, prevented the need of
Faith's answer.

"I was only recommending," said Mr. Simlins, "in case you wanted help
to make up your mind. The Citrons are all gone to New Jersey--there's a
few of the Mushes ramblin' round Connecticut yet. Well Mr. Linden--I
hope you and your boys get on commodiously together?"

"Just look into that basket on the table, and see what one of em
brought him to-night," said Mrs. Derrick. "Those are Stoutenburgh
Sweetings, Mr. Simlins."

Mr. Simlins looked at the Sweetings and then looked towards the window.

"I'd like to hear you speak a little on that point," he said. "Fact is,
there's been some winds blowin' about Pattaquasset that aint come off
beds o' roses; and I'd like to find where the pison is and clap a
stopper on it for the future. It's easy done."

Mr. Linden looked up with his usual expression, only the smile was
grave and a little moved, and answered,

"I could say a good deal on that point, Mr. Simlins. Yet I had rather
you should ask the boys than me."

"Don't want to ask the boys nothin', bless you!" said Mr. Simlins.
"What I want to say is this;--what's the matter between you and the
Squire? I've been askin' _him_, and he says you learn the boys to make
a V wrong side upward--I can't make nothin' of that," said Mr. Simlins,
with again the approach to a grin;--"'taint over easy to tell whether
_his_ Vs are one side up or 'tother. Now I'd like to know from you
where the hitch is. The Squire aint likely to set the Mong in a
configuration just yet--but if he's swingin' a torch round, I'd jest as
lief put it out afore the sharks fly."

"But