"You all ready?" he asked.

Wade shook his head.

"I've changed my mind," he said. "I'm going to stay awhile."




III.


That was a stirring afternoon in Eden Village. Wade's advent was like
the dropping of a stone into the centre of a quiet pool. Prout's Store
was the centre of the pool, and it was there that the splash and
upheaval occurred, and from there the waves of commotion circled and
spread to the farthest margins. By supper time it was known from one
length of Main Street to the other that the Craig place was tenanted
again. As to who the tenant was rumor was vague and indefinite. But
before bedtime even that point was definitely settled, Zenas Prout 2nd
having kept the store open a full half-hour later than usual to
accommodate delayed seekers after knowledge.

It was a rather stirring afternoon for Wade, too. First there was a
visit to the store in the carryall for the purchase of supplies. Mr.
Prout, who combined the duties of merchant with those of postmaster and
express agent, was filling out a requisition for postal supplies when
Wade entered. Poking his pen behind his ear, he stepped out from behind
the narrow screen of lock-boxes and greeted the visitor.