to carry off our little Susan. You know we must be wise as serpents and gentle
as doves I deciding, and"--he laid his hand on her arm--"though I doubt not all
will be well, I must think over the matter a while. Welcome, brother," he added,
offering his hand to Eliph' Hewlitt.

The little book agent shook it warmly.

"'I was a stranger and ye took me in,'" he said glibly. "Fine weather for a
picnic."

His eyes glowed. To meet the minister first of all! This was good, indeed. Years
of experience had taught him to seek the minister first. To start the round of a
small community with the prestige of having sold the minister himself a copy of
Jarby's Encyclopedia made success a certainty.

He took the oilcloth-covered parcel from beneath his arm, and handed it to the
minister gently, lovingly.

"Keep it until the picnic is over," he said. "I'm a book agent. I sell books.
THIS is the book I sell. Take it away and hide it, so I can forget it and be
happy. Don't let me have it until the picnic is over. PLEASE don't!"

He stretched out his arms in freedom, and the minister smiled and led the way
toward the place where a buggy cushion had been laid on the grass as his seat of
honor.

"I will retain the book," said the minister, with a smile, "although I don't
think you can sell the book here. My brethren in Clarence are not readers. I
read little myself. We are poor; we have no time to read. Except the Bible, I
know of but one book in this entire community. Sister Dawson has a copy of