It being nearly seven o'clock, he
was as eager to hold a morning gossip as a city shopkeeper to read the
morning paper. An opportunity seemed at hand when, after lighting a
cigar with a sun-glass, he looked up, and perceived a man coming
over the brow of the hill, at the foot of which the pedlar had stopped
his green cart. Dominicus watched him as he descended and noticed that
he carried a bundle over his shoulder on the end of a stick, and
travelled with a weary, yet determined pace. He did not look as if
he had started in the freshness of the morning, but had footed it
all night, and meant to do the same all day.
"Good morning, mister," said Dominicus, when within speaking
distance. "You go a pretty good jog. What's the latest news at
Parker's Falls?"
The man pulled the broad brim of a gray hat over his eyes, and
answered, rather suddenly, that he did not come from Parker's Falls,
which, as being the limit of his own day's journey, the pedlar had
naturally mentioned in his inquiry.
"Well then, rejoined Dominicus Pike, "let's have the latest news
where you did come from. I'm not particular about Parker's Falls.
Any place will answer."
Being thus importuned, the traveller- who was as ill looking a
fellow as one would desire to meet in a solitary piece of woods-
appeared to hesitate a little, as if he was either searching his
memory for news, or weighing the expediency of telling it.
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