"Are you asking about a house?
Whom for ?" Ford Foster had been quite ready to "chaff" Dick Lee, and he would not have hesitated about trying a like experiment upon Mr.Dabney Kinzer; but he knew enough to speak respectfully to the portly and business-like lady before him now.
"Yes, madam," he said, with a ceremonious bow: "I wish to report to my father that I have found an acceptable house in this vicinity." "You do!" Mrs.Kinzer was reading the young gentleman through and through, as she spoke; but she followed her exclamation with a dozen questions, all of which he answered with a good deal of clearness and intelligence.

She wound up at last, with,-- "Go right home, then, and tell your father the only good house to let in this neighborhood will be ready for him next week.

I'll show it to him when he comes, but he'd better see me at once.

Dabney, jump into the buggy.

I'm in a hurry." The ponies were in motion, up the street, before Ford Foster quite recovered from the shock of being told to "go right home." "A very remarkable woman," he muttered, as he turned away, "and she did not tell me a word about the house, after all.