The men looked at one another; old Pete scratched his head and grinned, and they filed out. Their feeling, if one was to judge from their faces, was one of satisfaction and confidence. They believed in the new boss, and that is the first step toward a feeling of affection. It was that afternoon that Zaanan Frame drove his old horse Tiffany—named, as Jim found out, after the greatest of legal books, Tiffany’s _Justices’ Guide_—up to the mill and rheumatically climbed to the office. “Afternoon,” said he. “Name’s Jim, hain’t it?” Jim nodded curtly. He suspected the justice of being no friend of his, but an ally of the other camp. “All right, Jim. Last names was made for fellers that git to be postmasters. Couldn’t sort the mail without ’em. Hain’t for every-day use no more ’n plug hats.” “What can I do for you, Judge?” Jim asked, offishly. The old fellow regarded him a moment in silence. “Wa-al, you might put more sugar into your coffee. Need sweet’nin’ up. Still livin’ to the hotel, eh? All the comforts of home? Suits you to a tee?” “The meals are all right,” said Jim, unbending a trifle, “but that’s all you can say.” “Um! What’s home without a motto over the door? Hain’t met Mis’ Stickney? Course not. Widder woman twice repeated. Machinery runnin’? Um! Got her goin’ quicker ’n folks expected.” “We hurried things up a bit.” “To be sure. Never seen sich a woman as the Widder Stickney for house-cleanin’. Best housekeeper in the county. Mill makes a heap of difference in Diversity. Kind of irritatin’ to Lafe Meggs up to the store. Says somebody’s always comin’ in and disturbin’ him to buy somethin’ or other. Calc’lates he’ll have to hire a clerk. Lafe’s ambitions mostly requires a sittin’ posture.” “How big is this town, Judge?” “About a dozen people and five hundred folks. Take in the newspaper, Jim?” “I take a Grand Rapids paper.” “Take in the Diversity paper, Jim?” “No.” “Um! Comes out Thursdays. Int’restin’ readin’ into it sometimes. The Widder Stickney got her second husband on the strength of her cookin’. Calc’late she could git a third with it, but she allows husbands is so fleetin’ and funeral expenses is so high ’twouldn’t hardly pay. Name of the paper is the _Diversity Eagle_. Business perty good, eh? Keepin’ up brisk?” “We manage to keep from loafing.” “To be sure. Loafin’s the leadin’ sport here. Calc’late Dolf Springer’s our champion jest now. Interestin’ piece in the paper this week. Several interestin’ pieces. Don’t take it in, eh? Early riser, hain’t you? See you walkin’ ’fore breakfast.”