“Well, Hiram Maxwell, I’ve got some money that I am not using just now.  You know that I’ve got quite a large account to settle with that Professor Strout, and I can afford to pay pretty handsomely to get even with him.  Now do you think if you had that grocery store that you could make a success of it?”

“Could I?” cried Hiram, “waal, I know I could.  I know every man, woman, and child in this town, and there isn’t one of them that’s got anythin’ agin me that I knows of.”

“I’d back you up,” said Quincy, “but I’ve got something against you, and I will not agree to put my money into that store until you explain to me something that you told me several weeks ago.  I don’t say but that you told me the truth as far as it went, but you didn’t tell me the whole truth, and that’s what I find fault with you for.”

Hiram’s eyes had dilated, and he looked at Quincy with a wild glance of astonishment.  Could he believe his ears?  Here was this young man, a millionaire’s son, saying that he would have backed him up in business but for the fact that he had told him a wrong story.  Hiram scratched his head and looked perplexed.

“True as I live, Mr. Sawyer, I don’t remember ever tellin’ you a lie since I’ve known yer.  I may have added a little somethin’ to some of my stories that I have brought inter yer, jest to make them a little more interesting and p’r’aps ter satisfy a little pussonal spite that I might have agin some o’ the parties that I was tellin’ yer about, but I know as well’s I’m standin’ here that I never told yer nothin’ in the way of a lie to work yer any injury.  You’ve alwus treated me white, and if there’s one thing that Mandy Skinner says she can’t abear, it’s a man that tells lies.”

“Then,” remarked Quincy with a smile, “you think a good deal of Miss Mandy Skinner’s opinion?”

“I ain’t never seen any girl whose opinion I think more of,” answered Hiram.

“Did you ever see any girl that you thought more of?” continued Quincy.

“Waal, I guess it’s an open secret ’round town,” said Hiram, “that I’d marry her quicker’n lightnin’, if she’d have me.”

“Well, why won’t she have you?” persisted Quincy.

“That’s easy to answer,” said Hiram.  “You stated the situation purty plainly yourself when you counted up my income, ten dollars a month and my food and two suits of clothes.  How could I pervide for Mandy out o’ that?”

“Well,” asked Quincy, “supposing I bought that grocery store for you and you got along well and made money.  Do you think Mandy would consent to become Mrs. Maxwell?”

“I can’t say for sure, Mr. Sawyer, but I think Miss Mandy Skinner would be at a loss for any good reason for refusin’ me, in case what you jest talked about come to pass,” said Hiram.

“Now,” proceeded Quincy, “we will settle that little matter that I referred to a short time ago.  You remember you were telling me your war experiences.  You said you were never shot, but that you were hit with a fence rail at the battle of Cedar Mountain.”