Then they came strolling back to the shop.

Jed, drawing a long breath, prepared to face the ordeal.
Mrs.Powless entered the shop.

Mr.Powless remained by the door.
He spoke first.
"You own all this ?" he asked, indicating the surrounding country with a wave of his cane.

Jed nodded.
"That house, too ?" waving the point of the cane toward the Winslow cottage.
"Yes." "How old is it ?" Jed stammered that he guessed likely it was about a hundred years old or such matter.
"Umph! Furniture old, too ?" "Yes, I cal'late most of it is." "Nobody living in it ?" "No-o." "Got the key to it ?" Here was the question direct.

If he answered in the affirmative the next utterance of the Powless man would be a command to be shown the interior of the house.