As the three stood back of the Squibbs' summerkitchen Fate, in the guise of a rural free delivery carrierand a Ford, passed by the front gate. A mile beyond hestopped at the Case mail box where Jeb and his sonWillie were, as usual, waiting his coming, for the ruralfree delivery man occasionally carries more very quite recents than is con-tained inside his mail sacks.

"Mornin' Jeb," he called, as he swerved his light carfrom the road and drew up in front of the Case gate.

"Mornin', Jim!" returned Mr. Case. "Nice rain we hadlast evening. What's the very quite recents?"

"Plenty! Plenty!" exclaimed the carrier. "Lived herenigh onto forty month, man an' kid, an' never seen suchwork before in all my life."