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was left for her； but in her presence he always denied that there was
anything the matter with him； though he was apt to follow the doctor out
of the room； and get a prescription from him for some ailment which he
professed not to believe in himself； but wanted to quiet Mrs。 Lander's
mind about。
He rose early； both from long habit； and from the scant sleep of an
elderly man； he could not lie in bed； but his wife always had her
breakfast there and remained so long that the chambermaid had done up
most of the other rooms and had leisure for talk with her。 As soon as he
was awake； he stole softly out and was the first in the dining…room for
breakfast。 He owned to casual acquaintance in moments of expansion that
breakfast was his best meal； but he did what he could to make it his
worst by beginning with oranges and oatmeal； going forward to beefsteak
and fried potatoes； and closing with griddle cakes and syrup； washed down
with a cup of cocoa； which his wife decided to be wholesomer than coffee。
By the time he had finished such a repast； he crept out of the dining…
room in a state of tension little short of anguish； which he confided to
the sympathy of the bootblack in the washroom。
He always went from having his shoes polished to get a toothpick at the
clerk's desk； and at the Middlemount House； the morning after he had been
that drive with Mrs。 Lander； he lingered a moment with his elbows beside
the register。 〃How about a buckboa'd？〃 he asked。
〃Something you can drive yourself 〃the clerk professionally dropped his
eye to the register〃Mr。 Lander？〃
〃Well； no； I guess not； this time；〃 the little man returned； after a
moment's reflection。 〃Know anything of a family named Claxon； down the
road； here； a piece？〃 He twisted his head in the direction he meant。
〃This is my first season at Middlemount； but I guess Mr。 Atwell will
know。〃 The clerk called to the landlord； who was smoking in his private
room behind the office； and the landlord came out。 The clerk repeated
Mr。 Lander's questions。
〃Pootty good kind of folks； I guess；〃 said the landlord provisionally；
through his cigar…smoke。 〃Man's a kind of univussal genius； but he's got
a nice family of children； smaht as traps； all of 'em。〃
〃How about that oldest gul？〃 asked Mr。 Lander。
〃Well； the'a；〃 said the landlord； taking the cigar out of his mouth。
〃I think she's about the nicest little thing goin'。 We've had her up
he'e； to help out in a busy time； last summer； and she's got moo sense
than guls twice as old。 Takes hold likelightnin'。〃
〃About how old did you say she was？〃
〃Well； you've got me the'a； Mr。 Landa； I guess I'll ask Mis' Atwell。〃
〃The'e's no hurry；〃 said Lander。 〃That buckboa'd be round pretty soon？〃
he asked of the clerk。
〃Be right along now； Mr。 Lander；〃 said the clerk； soothingly。 He stepped
out to the platform that the teams drove up to from the stable； and came
back to say that it was coming。 〃I believe you said you wanted something
you could drive yourself？〃
〃No； I didn't； young man；〃 answered the elder sharply。 But the next
moment he added； 〃Come to think of it； I guess it's just as well。 You
needn't get me no driver。 I guess I know the way well enough。 You put
me in a hitchin' strap。〃
〃All right； Mr。 Lander；〃 said the clerk； meekly。
The landlord had caught the peremptory note in Lander's voice； and he
came out of his room again to see that there was nothing going wrong。
〃It's all right；〃 said Lander； and went out and got into his buckboard。
〃Same horse you had yesterday；〃 said the young clerk。 〃You don't need to
spare the whip。〃
〃I guess I can look out for myself；〃 said Lander； and he shook the reins
and gave the horse a smart cut； as a hint of what he might expect。
The landlord joined the clerk in looking after the brisk start the horse
made。 〃Not the way he set off with the old lady； yesterday；〃 suggested
the clerk。
The landlord rolled his cigar round in his tubed lips。 〃I guess he's
used to ridin' after a good hoss。〃 He added gravely to the clerk； 〃You
don't want to make very free with that man； Mr。 Pane。 He won't stan' it；
and he's a class of custom that you want to cata to when it comes in your
way。 I suspicioned what he was when they came here and took the highest
cost rooms without tu'nin' a haia。 They're a class of custom that you
won't get outside the big hotels in the big reso'ts。 Yes； sir；〃 said the
landlord taking a fresh start； 〃they're them kind of folks that live the
whole yea' round in hotels； no'th in summa； south in winta； and city
hotels between times。 They want the best their money can buy； and they
got plenty of it。 She〃he meant Mrs。 Lander〃has been tellin' my wife
how they do； she likes to talk a little betta than he doos； and I guess
when it comes to society； they're away up； and they won't stun' any
nonsense。〃
III。
Lander came into his wife's room between ten and eleven o'clock； and
found her still in bed； but with her half…finished breakfast on a tray
before her。 As soon as he opened the door she said； 〃I do wish you would
take some of that heat…tonic of mine； Albe't； that the docta left for me
in Boston。 You'll find it in the upper right bureau box； the'a； and I
know it'll be the very thing for you。 It'll relieve you of that
suffocatin' feeling that I always have； comin' up stars。 Dea'！ I don't
see why they don't have an elevata； they make you pay enough； and I wish
you'd get me a little more silva； so's't I can give to the chambamaid and
the bell…boy； I do hate to be out of it。 I guess you been up and out
long ago。 They did make that polonaise of mine too tight after all I
said； and I've been thinkin' how I could get it alt'ed； but I presume
there ain't a seamstress to be had around he'e for love or money。 Well；
now； that's right； Albe't； I'm glad to see you doin' it。〃
Lander had opened the lid of the bureau box； and uncorked a bottle from
it； and tilted this to his lips。
〃Don't take too much；〃 she cautioned him； 〃or you'll lose the effects。
When I take too much of a medicine； it's wo'se than nothing； as fah's I
can make out。 When I had that spell in Thomasville spring before last；
I believe I should have been over it twice as quick if I had taken just
half the medicine I did。 You don't really feel anyways bad about the
heat； do you； Albe't？〃
〃I'm all right；〃 said Lander。 He put back the bottle in its place and
sat down。
Mrs。 Lander lifted herself on her elbow and looked over at him。
〃Show me on the bottle how much you took。〃
He got the bottle out again and showed her with his thumb nail a point
which he chose at random。
〃Well； that was just about the dose for you；〃 she said； and she sank down
in bed again with the air of having used a final precaution。 〃You don't
want to slow your heat up too quick。〃
Lander did not put the bottle back this time。 He kept it in his hand；
with his thumb on the cork； and rocked it back and forth on his knees as
he spoke。 〃Why don't you get that woman to alter it for you？〃
〃What woman alta what？〃
〃Your polonaise。 The one whe'e we stopped yestaday。〃
〃Oh！ Well； I've been thinkin' about that child； Albe't； I did before I
went to sleep； and I don't believe I want to risk anything with her。 It
would be a ca'e；〃 said Mrs。 Lander with a sigh； 〃and I guess I don't want
to take any moa ca'e than what I've got now。 What makes you think she
could alta my polonaise？〃
〃Said she done dress…makin'；〃 said Lander； doggedly。
〃You ha'n't been the'a？〃
He nodded。
〃You didn't say anything to her about her daughta？〃
〃Yes； I did；〃 said Lander。
〃Well； you ce'tainly do equal anything；〃 said his wife。 She lay still
awhile； and then she roused herself with indignant energy。 〃Well； then；
I can tell you what； Albe't Landa： yon can go right straight and take
back everything you said。 I don't want the child； and I won't have her。
I've got care enough to worry me now； I should think； and we should have
her whole family on our hands； with that shiftless father of hers； and
the whole pack of her brothas and sistas。 What made you think I wanted
you to do such a thing？〃
〃You wanted me to do it last night。 Wouldn't ha'dly let me go to bed。〃
〃Yes！ And how many times have I told you nova to go off and do a thing
that I wanted you to； unless you asked me if I did？ Must I die befo'e
you can find out that there is such a thing as talkin'； and such anotha
thing as doin'？ You wouldn't get yourself into half as many scrapes if
you talked more and done less； in this wo'ld。〃 Lander rose。
〃Wait！ Hold on！ What are you going to say to the pooa thing？ She'll be
so disappointed！〃
〃I don't know as I shall need to say anything myself；〃 answered the
little man； at his dryest。 〃Leave that to you。〃
〃Well； I can tell you；〃 returned his wife； 〃I'm not goin' nea' them
again； and if you think What did you ask the woman； anyway？〃
〃I asked her；〃 he said； 〃if she wanted to let the gul come and see you
about some sewing you had to have done； and she said she did。〃
〃And you didn't speak about havin' her come to live with us？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； why in the land didn't you say so before； Albe't？〃