dlord's ear did not fail to perceive in
the tone in which it was given, a foreshadowing of much beyond.

"I was born here," he replied.

"Ah! Then you know all the people, I imagine?"

"I know all their faces, at least."

"And their histories and characters?"

"Perhaps."

Something in this "perhaps," and the tone in which it was uttered,
seemed not to strike the questioner agreeably. He bent his brows a
little, and looked more narrowly at the landlord.

"I did not see much of your town as I came in this evening. How large is
it?"

"Middling good size, sir, for an inland town," was the not very
satisfactory answer.

"What is the population?"

"Well, I don't know--can't just say to a certainty."

"Two thousand?"

"Laws! no sir! Not over one, if that."

"About a thousand, then?"

"Maybe a thousand, and maybe not more than six or seven hundred."

"Call it seven hundred, then," said the traveler, evidently a little
amused.

"And that will, in my view, be calling it enough."

There was a pause. The traveler seemed in doubt as to whether he should
go on with his queries.

"Not much trade here, I presume?" He asked, at length.

"Not much to boast of," said Adams.

Another pause.

"Any well-to-do people? Gentlemen who live on their means?"

"Yes; there's Aaron Thompson. He's rich, I guess. But you can't measure
a snake 'till he's dead, as they say."

"True," said the traveler, seeming to fall into the landlord's mood.
"Executors often change the public estimate of a man as to this world's
goods. So, Aaron Thompson is one of your rich men?"

"Yes, and there's Abel Reeder--a close-fisted old dog, but wealthy as a
Jew, and no mistake. Then there is Captain Allen."

A flash of interest went over the stranger's face, which was turned at
once from the light.

"Captain Allen! And what of him?" The voice was pitched to a lower tone;
but there was no appearance of special curiosity.

"A great deal of him." The landlord put on a knowing look.

"Is he a sea captain?"

"Yes;" and lowering his voice, "something else besides, if we are to
credit people who pretend to know."

"Ah! but you speak in riddles, Mr. Adams. What do you mean by something
more?"

"Why, the fact is, Mr. Willoughby, they do say, that he got his money in
a backhanded sort of fashion."

"By gambling?"

"No, sir! By piracy!"

Col. Willoughby gave a real or affected start.

"A grave charge that, sir." He looked steadily at the