look at her sharp with
the idea that if things don't turn out in Thompsontown as you'd like
them to, it would be mighty comfortin' to you to pick her up on your way
back.'

"When Captain Abner and Sam returned from the stable they looked up and
down the far-stretching road, and then, at the invitation of the
toll-gate woman, they seated themselves on a bench at the back of the
toll-house.

"''Tisn't a very good time for people to be passin',' said she. 'Not
many folks is on the road between twelve and one. They're generally
feedin' themselves and their horses. But if you can make yourselves
comfortable here in the shade, I don't think you'll have to wait very
long. I'll jes step in and see if my dinner ain't cooked. There ain't
nobody in sight.'

"Sam Twitty rubbed his hands together. 'In my opinion,' said he, 'that
woman is a fust-class housekeeper.'

"In a very few minutes she returned. 'If you gentlemen don't mind,' said
she, 'I can give you your dinner here at the same price you'd have to
pay anywhere else. I always cook a lot on Mondays, so's I can have
something cold for the rest of the week. It's on the table now, and you
can go in and wait on yourselves.'

"Sam gave a quick glance at Abner. 'You go in with her,' said he, 'and
eat your dinner. I'm not hungry, and I'll wait out here and keep the
toll-gate. Afterwards I'll get a bite.'

"The toll-gate woman smiled. 'Perhaps it would be better for me to go in
and wait on one of you at a time; but I don't think it's likely there'll
be anybody passin'.'

"Abner did not object--he was hungry; and he followed the toll-gate
woman into her house. Sam Twitty made a motion as if he would dance a
little in his slippered feet.

"'That's jes like runnin' across a dead whale what's jes expired of too
much fat. All you've got to do is to cut it up and try it down. The fust
thing Cap'n Abner does is to run into a widow woman that'll suit him, I
believe, better than anybody he'll meet, if he cruises around
Thompsontown for a week.'

"Sam sat down on the bench and pictured things in his mind: he took the
toll-gate woman all over Captain Abner's house, even into the unmarried
part, and everywhere he saw her the same bright-cheeked, pleasantly
smiling woman she was here in her own house. The picture pleased him so
much that he withdrew his senses from the consideration of everything
else, and therefore it was he did not hear wheels on the road, and was
awakened from his