"Oh, yes, he never goes out in the evening. Adin," she said, preceding the visitor, "here is Squire Bates, who has called to see you."
"I am glad to see you, squire," said the carpenter.
"Take a chair, and excuse my gettin' up. My old enemy, the rheumatism, has got hold of me, and I'm too stiff to move easy."
"Oh, you are quite excusable, Mr. Dunham. I am sorry to hear that you are so afflicted."
"It isn't altogether comfortable. Besides, it puts me behindhand. I've lost at least four weeks this winter from these rheumatic pains."
"Ah, indeed!"
"Yes, and as you can imagine, that is a serious thing to a poor man."
"I suppose so," assented the squire, coughing.
"I am glad you came in, squire, because I wanted to speak to you about the interest on that mortgage."