I could see the gleam of triumph in her eye.
"'Humph!' grunted the man, 'much good those are.'
"Then he turned to me.
"'Peddler?' he asked.
"'Yes,' said I.
"'What you tradin' in?'
"'Oh, silks, laces and so forth,' rejoined I, repeating my formula.
"'Humph!'
"He looked at me, narrowing his eyes.
"'You don't look much like a peddler," said he.
"'No, I've seen better days,' I said, with a sigh.
"But I could see that he was still suspicious.
"'Where'd you come from?' was his next question.
"'South,' said I.
"'Where you going?'
"'North.'
"'Ain't much on conversation, be yer?' he asked.
"'No, I'm not considered a very talkative fellow,' I rejoined.
"We lapsed into silence. The man smoked. I just sat and thought the
situation over. At last supper was announced. It was eaten almost in
silence. The man discouraged all his wife's efforts at conversation. He
was sullen and nervous.
"More than ever did I begin to suspect that there was a still in the
immediate neighborhood. Soon after supper I pleaded fatigue and was
shown up a flight of stairs, or rather a ladder, to a sort of attic.
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