The Jack Knife Man

oss." In fair weather and daylight he often cut across the corn-field, but on such a night as this the trip meant a long plod up the railway track until he came to the crossing, and then a longer tramp back the slushy road, a good half mile in all. When he turned in at Widow Potter's open gate a great yellow dog came rushing at him, barking, but a word from Peter silenced him and the dog fell behind obediently but watchfully, and followed Peter to where the light shone through the widow's kitchen window. Peter rapped on the door. "Who's out there?" Mrs. Potter called sharply. "I got a gun in here, and I ain't afraid to use it. If you 're a tramp, you 'd better git!" "It's Peter Lane," Peter called, loud enough to be heard above the wind. "I want to buy a couple of eggs off you, Mrs. Potter." The door opened the merest crack and Mrs. Potter peered out. She did not have a gun, but she held a stove poker. When she saw Peter she opened the door wide. It was a brusk welcome. "Of all the shiftlessness I ever heard of, Peter Lane," she said angrily, "you beat all! Comin' for eggs this time of night when your boat's been in the cove nobody knows how long. I suppose it never come into yourhead to get eggs until you got hungry for them, did it?" Peter closed the door and stood with his back to it. At all times he feared Mrs. Potter, but especially when he gave her some cause for reproof. "I had some company drop in on me unexpected, Mrs. Potter," he said a...