"Hannah, these are two of our fellow townsfolk, calling. Excuse me, gentlemen, I didn't get your names." He was enlightened and prattled on: "Oh, Reverend Hartigan and Dr. Carson. Good! Healing for the body and healing for the soul, and my healing is for the estate—happy trinity, isn't it? Sit down, gentlemen."
"Can we do anything for you in our line?" said the buxom lady behind the desk, in a strong, deep voice; and now Jim noticed for the first time her square jaw and her keen eye that brightened as she spoke.
"Not at present, thank you," said Jim. "We are merely making a neighbourly call."
"The fact is," said Dr. Carson, "the thing that stopped us this morning was your new signboard."
"There! There! I told you so; I told you it was good business," said the little man. "The first thing in commerce is to have a good article and the next is to win the attention of the public. I felt sure it was a good move."
"You've got the attention of the whole town at one stroke," said Carson. "If you have the wares to follow it up——"
"Wares! My company is The Merchants' Mutual. It is the——"
Realizing that he had injudiciously turned on a hydrant, Carson said heartily:
"Oh, yes, yes; of course; I should have known. Why, every one knows that The Merchants' Mutual is one of the companies. How did you come in, by rail or by the trail?"
At this point, Hannah rose and, passing out of the door, gave a momentary glimpse of a kitchen stove with pots and kettles boiling.