“Some few clients called in person.  We sent ’em to Mrs. Trotter and she did the rest; except for three or four who came back to strike us for carfare.  After the letters began to get in from the r.f.d. districts Andy and me were taking in about $200 a day.

“One afternoon when we were busiest and I was stuffing the two and ones into cigar boxes and Andy was whistling ’No Wedding Bells for Her’ a small slick man drops in and runs his eye over the walls like he was on the trail of a lost Gainesborough painting or two.  As soon as I saw him I felt a glow of pride, because we were running our business on the level.

“‘I see you have quite a large mail to-day,’ says the man.

“I reached and got my hat.

“‘Come on,’ says I.  ’We’ve been expecting you.  I’ll show you the goods.  How was Teddy when you left Washington?’

“I took him down to the Riverview Hotel and had him shake hands with Mrs. Trotter.  Then I showed him her bank book with the $2,000 to her credit.

“‘It seems to be all right,’ says the Secret Service.

“‘It is,’ says I.  ’And if you’re not a married man I’ll leave you to talk a while with the lady.  We won’t mention the two dollars.’

“‘Thanks,’ says he.  ‘If I wasn’t, I might.  Good day, Mrs. Peters.’

“Toward the end of three months we had taken in something over $5,000, and we saw it was time to quit.  We had a good many complaints made to us; and Mrs. Trotter seemed to be tired of the job.  A good many suitors had been calling to see her, and she didn’t seem to like that.

“So we decides to pull out, and I goes down to Mrs. Trotter’s hotel to pay her last week’s salary and say farewell and get her check for the $2,000.

“When I got there I found her crying like a kid that don’t want to go to school.

“‘Now, now,’ says I, ’what’s it all about?  Somebody sassed you or you getting homesick?’

“‘No, Mr. Peters,’ says she.  ’I’ll tell you.  You was always a friend of Zeke’s, and I don’t mind.  Mr. Peters, I’m in love.  I just love a man so hard I can’t bear not to get him.  He’s just the ideal I’ve always had in mind.’

[Illustration:  “‘Mr. Peters, I’m in love.’”]

“‘Then take him,’ says I.  ’That is, if it’s a mutual case.  Does he return the sentiment according to the specifications and painfulness you have described?’

“‘He does,’ says she.  ’But he’s one of the gentlemen that’s been coming to see me about the advertisement and he won’t marry me unless I give him the $2,000.  His name is William Wilkinson.’  And then she goes off again in the agitations and hysterics of romance.

“‘Mrs. Trotter,’ says I, ’there’s no man more sympathizing with a woman’s affections than I am.  Besides, you was once the life partner of one of my best friends.  If it was left to me I’d say take this $2,000 and the man of your choice and be happy.

“’We could afford to do that, because we have cleaned up over $5,000 from these suckers that wanted to marry you.  But,’ says I, ’Andy Tucker is to be consulted.