He was a born boss, and did his best to run the town according to his
ideas. Captain Elisha Warren, who lived over in South Denboro and was
also a director in the bank, covered the situation when he said: "Jed
Dean is one of those fellers who ought to have a big family to order
around. The Almighty gave him only one child and so he adopted Denboro
and is bossin' that."

"I want to talk to you, Ros," repeated Captain Jed. "Come here."

He led the way to the settee by the calico and dress goods counter. I
put the unread letter in my pocket and followed him.

"Set down," he ordered. "Come to anchor alongside."

I came to anchor.

"How's your mother?" he asked. "Matilda was cal'latin' to go down and
set with her a spell this afternoon, if she didn't have anything else to
do--if Matilda didn't, I mean."

Matilda was his wife. In her husband's company she was as dumb as a
broken phonograph; when he was not with her she talked continuously,
as if to get even. A call from Matilda Dean was one of the additional
trials which made Mother's invalid state harder to bear.

"Course she may not come," Jedediah hastened to say. "She's pretty busy
these days. But if she don't have anything else to do she will. I told
her she'd better."

"Mother will be charmed," I said. Captain Jed was no fool and he looked