"Looks like the very place for one of my acknowledged abilities," said Duncan. He turned the knob and entered, advancing to the middle of the dingy room. There, standing beside a cold and rusty stove whose pipe wandered giddily to a hole in the farthest wall (reminding him of some uncouth cat with its tail over its back), he surveyed with the single requisite comprehensive glance the tiers of shelves tenanted by a beggarly array of dingy bottles; the soda fountain with its company of glasses and syrup jars; the flanking counters with their broken show-cases housing a heterogenous conglomeration of unsalable wares; the aged and tattered posters heralding the virtues of potent affronts to the human interior--to say naught of its intelligence; the drab walls and debris-littered flooring. A slight grating noise behind him brought Duncan round with a start. At a work-bench near the window sat a white-haired man garbed baggily in an old crash coat and trousers. His head was bowed over something clamped in a vise, at which he was tinkering busily with a file. He did not look up, but, as his caller moved, inquired amiably: "Well?" "Good-morning," stammered Duncan; "er--I should say afternoon." "So you should," Sam admitted, still fussing with his work. "Anything you want?" Duncan swallowed hard and mastered his confusion. "Would it be possible for me to speak to the proprietor a moment?" "I should jedge it would. Go right along." Sam filed vigorously. "Might I ask--are you Mr. Graham?" "Yes, sir; that's me." The filing continued stridently. Duncan moved closer. There was scant encouragement to be gathered from Graham's indifferent attitude; yet his voice had been pleasant, kindly. "I--I'm looking for employment," said Duncan hastily. "If--" "Employment!" Graham dropped his tools with a clatter and faced round. For a moment his eyes twinkled and a wintry smile lightened his fine old features. "Well, I declare!" he said, rising. "You must be the stranger the whole town's been talkin' about." "If at any time," Duncan pursued hastily, "you should have an opening here that you can offer me, I shall endeavour to give satisfaction. Good-day, sir." And he made for the door. "Eh, just a minute," said Graham. "Are you in a hurry?" Duncan paused, smiling nervously. "Oh, no--only I mustn't press it, you know--just say it and get right--I mean I don't want to take up your valuable time, sir." Graham chuckled. "Guess the folks haven't been talking much to you about me," he suggested. "You seem to have a higher opinion of the value of my time than anybody else in Radville." "Yes, but--that is to say--" "But if you're really looking for a job, I'd like to give you one first rate." Duncan started toward him in breathless haste. "You--you'd like to!--You don't mean it!"