"If I want her I'll have to propose before some other feller hears o' this," he told himself.
The farmer made it his business to go to town two days later, and drove past the widow's house very slowly. She saw him from a window, and nodded and smiled.
This was encouraging, and on returning from his errand, he tied up in front of the place, and rang the bell.
"Oh, Abner, I am delighted to see you!" said the widow, on coming to the door. "Come in."
"Thank you, Lucy," he answered, and entered the parlor.
"It was so good of you to come," she simpered. "I wanted somebody to talk to."
"Anything special?" he asked, curiously.
"I have received notice to leave this house. I guess Mr. Haskell, the owner, wishes it for himself." She did not add that her rent was about due, and she did not know how to meet the payment.
"Where do you think of going, widow?"
"I'm sure I don't know, Abner. I haven't a single place. You know I'm all alone in the world."