Now, after only two years, he can lay off and live like a gentleman." "He's been lucky, and no mistake." "You bet he has.

But we might be as lucky if we were only out there." "Ay, there's the rub.

A fellow can't travel for nothing." At this point in their conversation, a well-dressed young man, evidently a stranger in the village, met them, and stopping, asked politely for a light.
This Clapp afforded him.
"You are a stranger in the village ?" he said, with some curiosity.
"Yes, I was never here before.

I come from New York." "Indeed! If I lived in New York I'd stay there, and not come to such a beastly place as Centreville." "Do you live here ?" asked the stranger.
"Yes." "I wonder you live in such a beastly place," he said, with a smile.
"You wouldn't, if you knew the reason." "What is the reason ?" "I can't get away." The stranger laughed.
"Cruel parents ?" he asked.
"Not much," said Clapp.

"The plain reason is, that I haven't got money enough to get me out of town." "It's the same with me," said Luke Harrison.
"Gentlemen, we are well met," said the stranger.