"COME in," says the woman, and I did. She says: "Take a cheer."

     I done it. She looked me all over with her little shiny eyes, and says:

     "What might your name be?"

     "Sarah Williams."

     "Where 'bouts do you live? In this neighborhood?'

     "No'm. In Hookerville, seven mile below. I've walked all the way and I'm all tired out."

     "Hungry, too, I reckon. I'll find you something."

     "No'm, I ain't hungry. I was so hungry I had to stop two miles below here at a farm; so I ain't hungry no more. It's what makes me so late. My mother's down sick, and out of money and everything, and I come to tell my uncle Abner Moore. He lives at the upper end of the town, she says. I hain't ever been here before. Do you know him?"

     "No; but I don't know everybody yet. I haven't lived here quite two weeks. It's a considerable ways to the upper end of the town. You better stay here all night. Take off your bonnet."

     "No," I says; "I'll rest a while, I reckon, and go on. I ain't afeared of the dark."