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lay the dust that every passerby kicks up； he tries to smear over the truth regarding conditions with messy and ill…smelling oil。 Above everything； he doesn't want the road dug up and rebuiltsays it will interfere with traffic； injure business； and even set people to talking about changing the route entirely！ Oh； haven't I seen it in religion； where they are doing their best to oil up roads that are entirely worn outand as for politics； is not the cry of the party…roadster and the harmony…oilers abroad in the land？〃
In the excited interest with which this idea now bore me along I had entirely forgotten the existence of my companion； and as I now glanced at him I saw him standing with a curious look of astonishment and suspicion on his face。 I saw that I had unintentionally gone a little too far。 So I said abruptly：
〃Partner； let's get a drink。 I'm thirsty。〃
He followed me； I thought a bit reluctantly； to a little brook not far up the road where we had been once before。 As we were drinking； silently； I looked at the stout young fellow standing there； and I thought to myself：
What a good； straightforward young fellow he is anyway； and how thoroughly he knows his job。 I thought how well he was equipped with unilluminated knowledge； and it came to me whimsically； that here was a fine bit of road…mending for me to do。
Most people have sight； but few have insight； and as I looked into the clear blue eyes of my friend I had a sudden swift inspiration； and before I could repent of it I had said to him in the most serious voice that I could command：
〃Friend； I am in reality a spectacle…peddler〃
His glance shifted uncomfortably to my gray bag。
〃And I want to sell you a pair of spectacles；〃 I said。 〃I see that you are nearly blind。〃
〃Me blind！〃
It would be utterly impossible to describe the expression on his face。 His hand went involuntarily to his eyes； and he glanced quickly； somewhat fearfully； about。
〃Yes； nearly blind；〃 said I。 〃I saw it when I first met you。 You don't know it yourself yet； but I can assure you it is a bad case。〃
I paused； and shook my head slowly。 If I had not been so much in earnest； I think I should have been tempted to laugh outright。 I had begun my talk with him half jestingly； with the amusing idea of breaking through his shell； but I now found myself tremendously engrossed； and desired nothing in the world （at that moment） so much as to make him see what I saw。 I felt as though I held a live human soul in my hand。
〃Say； partner；〃 said the road…worker； 〃are you sure you aren't〃 He tapped his forehead and began to edge away。
I did not answer his question at all； but continued； with my eyes fixed on him：
〃It is a peculiar sort of blindness。 Apparently； as you look about； you see everything there is to see； but as a matter of fact you see nothing in the world but this road〃
〃It's time that I was seein' it again then；〃 said he； making as if to turn back to work； but remaining with a disturbed expression on his countenance。
〃The Spectacles I have to sell；〃 said I； 〃are powerful magnifiers〃he glanced again at the gray bag。 〃When you put them on you will see a thousand wonderful things besides the road〃
〃Then you ain't road…worker after all！〃 he said； evidently trying to be bluff and outright with me。
Now your substantial； sober； practical American will stand only about so much verbal foolery； and there is nothing in the world that makes him more uncomfortableyes； downright mad！ than to feel that he is being played with。 I could see that I had nearly reached the limit with him； and that if I held him now it must be by driving the truth straight home。 So I stepped over toward him and said very earnestly：
〃My friend； don't think I am merely joking you。 I was never more in earnest in all my life。 When I told you I was a road…worker I meant it； but I had in mind the mending of other kinds of roads than this。〃
I laid my hand on his arm； and explained to him as directly and simply as English words could do it； how； when he had spoken of oil for his roads； I thought of another sort of oil for another sort of roads； and when he spoke of curves in his roads I was thinking of curves in the roads I dealt with； and I explained to him what my roads were。 I have never seen a man more intensely interested： he neither moved nor took his eyes from my face。
〃And when I spoke of selling you a pair of spectacles；〃 said I； 〃it was only a way of telling you how much I wanted to make you see my kinds of roads as well as your own。〃
I paused； wondering if； after all； he could be made to see。 I know now how the surgeon must feel at the crucial moment of his accomplished operation。 Will the patient live or die？
The road…worker drew a long breath as he came out from under the anesthetic。
〃I guess； partner；〃 said he； 〃you're trying to put a stone or two in my ruts！〃
I had him！
〃Exactly；〃 I exclaimed eagerly。
We both paused。 He was the first to speakwith some embarrassment：
〃Say； you're just like a preacher I used to know when I was a kid。 He was always sayin' things that meant something else and when you found out what he was drivin' at you always felt kind of queer in your insides。〃
I laughed。
〃It's a mighty good sign；〃 I said； 〃when a man begins to feel queer in the insides。 It shows that something is happening to him。〃
With that we walked back to the road； feeling very close and friendlyand shovelling again； not saying much。 After quite a time； when we had nearly cleaned up the landslide； I heard the husky road…worker chuckling to himself； finally； straightening up； he said：
〃Say； there's more things in a road than ever I dreamt of。〃
〃I see；〃 said I； 〃that the new spectacles are a good fit。〃
The road…worker laughed long and loud。
〃You're a good one； all right；〃 he said。 〃I see what YOU mean。 I catch your point。〃
〃And now that you've got them on；〃 said I； 〃and they are serving you so well； I'm not going to sell them to you at all。 I'm going to present them to youfor I haven't seen anybody in a long time that I've enjoyed meeting more than I have you。〃
We nurse a fiction that people love to cover up their feelings； but I have learned that if the feeling is real and deep they love far better to find a way to uncover it。
〃Same here；〃 said the road…worker simply； but with a world of genuine feeling in his voice。
Well； when it came time to stop work the road…worker insisted that I get in and go home with him。
〃I want you to see my wife and kids；〃 said he。
The upshot of it was that I not only remained for supperand a good supper it wasbut I spent the night in his little home； close at the side of the road near the foot of a fine hill。 And from time to time all night long； it seemed to me； I could hear the rush of cars going by in the smooth road outside； and sometimes their lights flashed in at my window； and sometimes I heard them sound their brassy horns。
I wish I could tell more of what I saw there； of the garden back of the house； and of all the road…worker and his wife told me of their simple historybut； the road calls！
When I set forth early this morning the road…worker followed me out to the smooth macadam （his wife standing in the doorway with her hands rolled in her apron） and said to me； a bit shyly：
〃I'll be more sort o'sort o' interested in roads since I've seen you。〃
〃I'll be along again some of these days；〃 said I； laughing； 〃and I'll stop in and show you my new stock of spectacles。 Maybe I can sell you another pair！〃
〃Maybe you kin；〃 and he smiled a broad； understanding smile。
Nothing brings men together like having a joke in common。
So I walked off down the roadin the best of spiritsready for the events of another day。
It will surely be a great adventure； one of these days； to come this way againand to visit the Stanleys； and the Vedders； and the Minister； and drop in and sell another pair of specs to the Road…worker。 It seems to me I have a wonderfully rosy future ahead of me！
P。 S。I have not yet found out who painted the curious signs； but I am not as uneasy about it as I was。 I have seen two more of them already this morningand find they exert quite a psychological influence。
CHAPTER VI。 AN EXPERIMENT IN HUMAN NATURE
In the early morning after I left the husky road…mender （wearing his new spectacles）； I remained steadfastly on the Great Road or near it。 It was a prime spring day； just a little hazy； as though promising rain； but soft and warm。
〃They will be working in the garden at home；〃 I thought； 〃and there will be worlds of rhubarb and asparagus。〃 Then I remembered how the morning sunshine would look on the little vine…clad back porch （reaching halfway up the weathered door） of my own house among the hills。
It was the first time since my pilgrimage began that I had thought with any emotion of my farmor of Harriet。
And then the road claimed me again； and I began to look out for some further explanation of the curious sign； the single word 〃Rest；〃 which had interested me so keenly on the preceding day。 It may seem absurd to some who read these linessome practical people！but I cannot convey the pleasure I had in the very elusiveness and mystery of the sign； nor how I