There was no one in the diningroom when he went in; the other
boarders had finished, and it was Cynthia's "evening out," but the
landlord came and attended to his guests' wants himself, and chatted with
him while he ate.
"There's a picture of Henry Clay," remarked Landis, in obvious relevancy
to his companion's attire, "there's a picture of Henry Clay somewheres
about the house in a swallow-tail coat. Governor Ray spoke here in one in
early times, Bodeffer says, except it was higher built up 'n yourn about
the collar, and had brass buttons, I think. Ole man Wimby was here
to-night," the landlord continued, changing the subject. "He waited around
fer ye a good while. He's be'n mighty wrought up sence the trouble this
morning, an' wanted to see ye bad. I don't know 'f you seen it, but that
feller 't knocked your hat off was mighty near tore to pieces in the crowd
before he got away. 'Seems some the boys re-_cog_-nized him as one the
Cross-Roads Skillets, and sicked the dogs on him, and he had a pretty mean
time of it. Wimby says the Cross-Roads folks'll be worse 'n ever, and,
says he, 'Tell him to stick close to town,' says he. 'They'll do anything
to git him now,' says he, 'and _resk_ anything.' I told him you wouldn't
take no stock in it, but, see here, don't you put nothin' too mean fer
them folks. I tell you, Mr.
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