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           Hispracticehadbecomelittlemorethanavaguelegend,revivedonlyatlengtheningintervalsbyasummonstoHepburnorNettleton;andheappearedtodependforhislivingmainlyonthescantproduceofhisfarm,andonthecommissionsreceivedfromthefewinsuranceagenciesthatherepresentedintheneighbourhood.Atanyrate,hehadbeenpromptinacceptingHarney’soffertohirethebuggyatadollarandahalfaday;andhissatisfactionwiththebargainhadmanifesteditself,unexpectedlyenough,attheendofthefirstweek,byhistossingaten-dollarbillintoCharity’slapasshesatonedayretrimmingheroldhat.

           “Here—gogetyourselfaSundaybonnetthat’llmakealltheothergirlsmad,”hesaid,lookingatherwithasheepishtwinkleinhisdeep-seteyes;andsheimmediatelyguessedthattheunwontedpresent—theonlygiftofmoneyshehadeverreceivedfromhim—representedHarney’sfirstpayment.

           Buttheyoungman’scominghadbroughtMr.Royallotherthanpecuniarybenefit.Itgavehim,forthefirsttimeinyears,aman’scompanionship.Charityhadonlyadimunderstandingofherguardian’sneeds;butsheknewhefelthimselfabovethepeopleamongwhomhelived,andshesawthatLuciusHarneythoughthimso.Shewassurprisedtofindhowwellheseemedtotalknowthathehadalistenerwhounderstoodhim;andshewasequallystruckbyyoungHarney’sfriendlydeference.

           Theirconversationwasmostlyaboutpolitics,andbeyondherrange;buttonightithadapeculiarinterestforher,fortheyhadbeguntospeakoftheMountain.