As I walked slowly through the yard, I saw a pleasant-faced young Swedish girl at work on the back porch of the large house next door. “She’ll surely give me a drink,” I said to myself. She greeted me with a smile as I made known my wants and in a moment I was quenching the thirst which had grown unendurable. As I set down the glass she noted my sample case. “You bane sell someting?” she enquired with a wide smile. With eager hands she fell upon the toilet articles as I opened the case. “Yaw, yaw,” she cried. “I bane want someting long, long tam. Youst wait. I got money.” She disappeared into the house. I was laying out her selections when a harsh voice startled me. “How dare you sneak into my home and take up the time of my maids? Leave this house instantly.” I whirled around, too amazed to speak. A large, pompous woman was standing in the inner doorway, motioning me out with a be-ringed hand. “But—but madam,” I stammered, “your maid wants to buy some of these articles. She has gone to get the money.” “I’ll not have you cheating my servants. Go away from here.” The girl appeared at that moment, but her mistress blocked the door. “Hulda, you stay right where you are. Shame on you, wasting valuable time on a tricky pedler. What do you suppose I pay you wages for?” “Oh, mam. I ban long tam want....” “That will do. That will do. I don’t want any of your saucy talk. You are paid to do the housework, so get at it.” She turned on me. “Get off these premises at once. You may be able to swindle these ignorant foreigners, but you can’t impose on me. Go now, or I’ll call the constable. The very idea, crowding yourself right into people’s homes, talking to their servants, impudent....” She was still raving as I passed out of hearing. The day was very warm. I was dusty and tired and hungry. Aimlessly I followed the street till it terminated in a country road and finally sank down by the roadside, too weary and disheartened to think clearly. I was roused by the sound of pattering hoofs and glancing up, saw a team of grey Indian ponies, attached to a light buckboard, come scampering around a curve. They shied sharply at sight of my recumbent figure, reared and tried to break into a run. Their driver drew them in with masterly skill, and circling through the weeds and brush, returned to learn the cause of the fracas. She was a tall, strong woman, with an aquiline nose and iron grey hair. The smile with which she greeted me as I approached the wagon was very winning. “Is there something the matter? Are you ill or hurt?” she inquired, leaning toward me with kindling eyes. “No, just tired and a bit blue, I guess. It didn’t seem worth while to walk any more, so I dropped right down here.” “Pardon me, but aren’t you a stranger to these parts? I don’t recall seeing you before. In these little towns we generally know every one, at least by sight.” “Yes, I arrived only a couple of hours ago, but I know this town pretty well already.”