that reply would be
favorable. Still it was a chance, and if the money SHOULD come before
the "pure Colonial" reached the Edwards lot, then the widow would at
least not be driven penniless from her home. She would have to leave
that home in any event, but she could carry out her project of opening
another shop in one of the neighboring towns. Otherwise . . . Mr.
Phinney swore aloud.

"Humph!" said a voice behind him. "I agree with you, though I don't
know what it's all about. I ain't heard anything better put for a long
while."

Simeon spun around, as he said afterwards, "like a young one's
pinwheel." At his elbow stood Captain Berry, the depot master, hands
in pockets, cigar in mouth, the personification of calmness and
imperturbability. He had come out of his house, which stood close to the
corner, and walked over to join his friend.

"Land of love!" exclaimed Simeon. "Why don't you scare a fellow to
death, tiptoein' around? I never see such a cat-foot critter!"

Captain Sol smiled. "Jumpin' it, ain't they?" he said, nodding toward
the "Colonial." "Be there by the tenth, won't it?"

"Tenth!" Mr. Phinney sniffed disgust. "It'll be there by the sixth, or I
miss my guess."

"Yup. Say, Sim, how soon could you land that shanty of mine in the road
if I give you the job to move it?"

"I couldn't get it up to the Main Street lot inside of a fortnight,"
replied Sim, after a moment's reflection. "Fur's gettin' it in the road
goes, I could have it here day after to-morrow if I had gang enough."

The depot master took the cigar out of his mouth and blew a ring of
smoke. "All right," he drawled, "get gang enough."

Phinney jumped. "You mean you've decided to take up with Payne's offer
and swap your lot for his?" he gasped. "Why, only two or three days ago
you said--"

"Ya-as. That was two or three days ago, and I've been watchin' the
'Colonial' since. I cal'late the movin' habit's catchin'. You have your
gang here by noon to-day."

"Sol Berry, are you crazy? You ain't seen Abner Payne; he's out of
town--"

"Don't have to see him. He's made me an offer and I'll write and accept
it."

"But you've got to have a selectmen's permit to move--"

"Got it. I went up and saw the chairman an hour ago. He's a friend of
mine. I nominated him town-meetin' day."

"But," stammered Phinney, very much upset by the suddenness of it all,
"you ain't got my price nor--"

"Drat your price! Give it when I ask it. See here, Sim, are