"I--I didn't mean to insult you," he stammered.

"Glad to hear it, I'm sure. If I were you, however, I should see a
doctor for the other trouble."

"And I ain't crazy, neither. I beg your pardon for hollerin' and
grabbin' hold of you."

"Granted."

"Thank ye. Now," hesitatingly, "would you mind tellin' me why you asked
me if I was married?"

"Not in the least. I asked merely because it occurred to me that you
might be. Of course, I had seen nothing of your wife, but it was
barely possible that she was away on a visit, or somewhere. There is no
regulation forbidding lightkeepers marrying--at least, I never heard of
any--and so I asked; that's all."

Seth nodded. "I see," he said, slowly; "yes, yes, I see. So you didn't
have no special reason."

"I did not. Of course, if I had realized that you were subject
to--er--fits, I should have been more careful."

"Hum! . . . Well, I--I beg your pardon again. I--I am kind of touchy on
some p'ints. Didn't I tell you no women came here? Married! A wife! Do I
look like a dum fool?"

"Not now."