wishing to remain there long."

"Eh?"

"Oh, it's not material. Pardon me. I inquired of the young man in charge
of the--ah--station."

"Nelse Howard? Yes, sure."

"You know him, then?"

Mr. Pulcifer laughed. "Say," he observed, patronizingly, "there's mighty
few folks in this neighborhood I don't know. You bet that's right!"

"The young man--the station man--was very kind and obliging, very kind
indeed. He informed me that there was no direct conveyance from the
South Wellmouth station to Wellmouth--ah--Centre, but he prevailed upon
the driver of the station--ah--vehicle--"

"Eh? You mean Lem Lovett's express team?"

"I believe the driver's name was Lovett--yes. He prevailed upon him to
take me in his wagon as far as a crossroads where I was to be left.
From there I was to follow another road--ah--on foot, you know--until I
reached a second crossroad which would, he said, bring me directly into
Wellmouth Middle--ah--Centre, I should say. He told me that Mr. Hall
lived there."

"Well, he told you wrong. Hall lives up to East Wellmouth. But what
I can't get a-hold of is how you come to fetch up way off here. The