He entered, following her as he would have followed a ghost. She moved a chair from the wall without the least noise, and he dropped upon it. As he looked at her his identity seemed slipping away--seemed to be slipping into an atmosphere connected with her and her surroundings. She brought him some water which she dipped from a pail near by, and held the cocoa-nut dipper which contained it to his lips. "Thee has come to us from strange parts, I reckon, from thy looks." "Yes," he answered, absently; "I needed change." "There has been no change here since the Indians went away. If thee will look across the road thee can see the ground is strewed with the bits of shells from their feasts." He went to the window, and again remarked to himself, "This is the place for me." "Could you," he asked, going toward her, "let me stay with you a while?" "Did thee come to the Marsh End station this morning?" "Yes; my valise is there." "Thy parents are rich?" "I have none." "Thee has been well cared for, though." "I have not left home because of any--" Misfortune, he was about to say, but that did not seem to be the right word; so he tried to think of something else to say. She saw his embarrassment, and said, quickly, "I never have harbored a stranger; but if Peter likes, he may take thee." Osgood thanked her so pleasantly that she determined he should stay. She asked him his name, his age, his place of residence, his business, and his intentions. Except in regard to the latter, his answer proved satisfactory; and when Peter returned at noon from the distant shore with a load of sea-weed, she introduced Osgood as if he were an old acquaintance of whom Peter was in a state of lamentable ignorance. He pushed his hat on the back of his head, shook hands with Osgood, and said, "Maria, will thee give me my dinner?" taking no further notice of Osgood till she had placed it on the table. It consisted of stewed beans, boiled beef, apple-pie, and cheese. Osgood ate half a pie, and established himself in Peter's good graces. "Thee will learn that Maria's pie-crust beats all," he said. "Thee is ready to consent," said his wife, "to keep young Osgood a while?" "I don't know yet," answered Peter.