After breakfast Franklin paused for a moment at the hotel office, almost
as large and empty as the dining room. Different men now and then came
and passed him by, each seeming to have some business of his own. The
clerk at the hotel asked him if he wanted to locate some land. Still
another stranger, a florid and loosely clad young man with a mild blue
eye, approached him and held some converse.

"Mornin', friend," said the young man.

"Good-morning," said Franklin.

"I allow you're just in on the front," said the other.

"Yes," said Franklin, "I came on the last train."

"Stay long?"

"Well, as to that," said Franklin, "I hardly know, but I shall look
around a bit."

"I didn't know but maybe you'd like to go south o' here, to Plum Centre.
I run the stage line down there, about forty-six miles, twict a week.
That's my livery barn over there--second wooden building in the town.
Sam's my name; Sam Poston."

"I never heard of Plum Centre," said Franklin, with some amusement. "Is
it as large a place as this?"

"Oh, no," said Sam hurriedly, "not nigh as large as this, but it's a good