He turned and left Gaites, who understood this for permission, and clambered into the car, where he found himself in a rude but far from comfortless interior. There was a sort of table or desk in the middle, with a heavy chair or two before it; round the side of the car were some leather-covered benches, suitable for the hard naps which seemed to be taken on them, if he could guess from the man in overalls asleep on one. The conductor came in, after the train started, and seemed disposed to be sociable. He had apparently gathered from the station-master so much of Gaites's personal history as had accumulated since he left the express train at Middlemount. "Thought you'd try a caboose for a little change from a pahla-cah," he suggested, humorously. "Well, yes," Gaites partially admitted. "I did intend to stay over at Middlemount when I left the express there, but I changed my mind and decided to go on. It's very good of you to let me come with you." "'Tain't but a little way to Lowa Merritt," the conductor explained, defensively. "Eva been the'a?" "Oh, yes; I passed a week or so there once, after I left college. Are you acquainted there?" "I'm _from_ the'a. Used to wo'k fo' the Desmonds--got that summa place up the side of the mountain--before I took to the ro-ad." "Oh, yes! Have they still got it?" "Yes. Or it's got _them_. Be glad to sell it, I guess, since the old man lost his money. But Lowa Merritt's kind o' gone down as a summa roso't. Tryin' ha'd to bring it up, though. Know the Desmonds?" "No, not personally." "Nice fo-aks," said the conductor, providing himself for conversational purposes with a splinter from the floor. He put it between his teeth and continued: "I took ca' thei' hosses, one while, as long's they _had_ any, before I went on the ro-ad. Old gentleman kep' up a show till he died; then the fam'ly found out that they hadn't much of anything but the place left. Girls had to do something, and one of 'em got a place in a school out West--smaht, _all_ of 'em; the second one kind o' runs the fahm; and the youngest, here, 's been fittin' for a music-teacha. Why, I've got a piano for her in this cah that we picked up at Middlemount, _now_. Been two wintas at the Conservatory in Boston. Got talent enough, they tell _me_. Undastand 't she means to go to Pohtland in the fall and try to get pupils, _the'a_." "Not if _I_ can help it!" thought Gaites, with a swelling heart; and then he blushed for his folly. VI.