in the fam'ly, nice and quiet, you ain't goin' to git showed up. Now,
I ain't goin' to listen to no more abuse out of you. I'll give you
jest one minute to decide. Look me in the eye. I mean business."

"You've got me where I'll have to," wailed the Colonel.

"Is it pardnership?"

"Yas!" He barked the word.

"Now, Colonel Ward, there's only one way for you and me to do bus'ness
the rest of our lives, and that's on the square, cent for cent. We
might as well settle that p'int now. Fix up that toll bill, or it's
all off. I won't go into business with a man that don't pay his honest
debts."

He came forward with his hand out.

The Colonel paid.

"Now," said the Cap'n, "seein' that the new man is here, ready to
take holt, and the books are all square, I'll ride home with you.
I've been callin' it home now for a couple of days."

The new man at the toll-house heard the Cap'n talking serenely as
they drove away.

"I didn't have any idee, Colonel, I was goin' to like it so well on
shore as I do. Of course, you meet some pleasant and some unpleasant
people, but that sister of yours is sartinly the finest woman that