"Nobody 'ceptin' Homer Littlejohn an' Hetty Carpenter, an' they don't seem to know much about him. I call him darn cur'us. Hetty says he allus a-settin' in his room, a-studyin' an' a-studyin' an' a-studyin'." "He goes walkin' mornin's, Hetty told me." "Wal, he don't come downtown much. Nobody hardly ever sees him 'cept to church." Hiram ponders this profoundly, finally delivering himself of an opinion which he has never forsaken. "I claim he's a s'picious character." "Don't look to me as though he knew 'nough to be much of anythin'." "Wal, now, if he's a real student an' they ain't no outs 'bout him, what in tarnation's he doin' here? Thet's jest what I'd like to have somebody tell me, Watty." "Hetty sez he sez he wants a quiet place to study." Hiram snorts with scorn. "Oh, fid-del! You don't catch no Noo York young feller a-settlin' down in Radville unless he's crazy or somethin' worse." "'Tain't no use tellin' Hetty Carpenter thet." "No; if anybody sez a word agin him she shets 'em right up." "'Tain't only Hetty, but all the wimmin's on his side." "Thet's proof enough to me he ain't right." "Wimmin," says Watty, as the result of a period of philosophical consideration, "is all crazy about clothes. When a feller's got good clothes you can't make them see no harm into him, no matter what he is. I pressed some of Duncan's last Satiddy. I never see clothes--such goods and linin's. They was made for him, too--made by a tailor on Fifth Avenue, Noo York. I fergit the name now." "Wal, Roland Barnette sez they ain't stylish. He sez they're too much like an undertaker's gitup." "Wal, Roland oughter know. He's the fanciest dressed-up feller in the county." "Yes, I guess he be." The subject apparently languishes, but I know that it still occupies their sage meditations; and presently this is demonstrated by Hiram, who expectorates liberally by way of preface. "When this cuss Duncan fust come here," he says with a self-contained chuckle, "ev'rybody but me figgered he had stacks of money. Guess they be singin' a different tune, now, sinst he's been goin' round askin' for work." This is news to me, and I sit up, sharing Watty's astonishment. "Be he a-doin' thet, Hiram?" "That's what he's been a-doin'." "Funny I missed hearin' about it." "He only started this mornin'. He went to Sothern and Lee's and Leonard and Call's and Godfrey's--'nd then I guess he must 'ev quit discouraged. They wouldn't none of them give him nothin'. Leastways, thet's what they said after he'd gone out. He didn't give anybody a reel chance to say anythin'. I was in Leonard and Call's and he came in an' asked for a job, but the minute Len looked at him he turned right round and slunk out without a-waitin' for Len to say a word." Hiram smoked in huge enjoyment of the retrospect. "He's the curiousest critter we ever had in this town." "Yes," agrees Watty, "I guess he be."