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why，shekneweverysinglethingintheBiblethatmeantitwasherdutytofeedandgiveabedtoanyone，nomatterhowdirtyormiserablelookinghewas！SowhenLeoncameinoneeveningatduskandsaid，“There’sanother`EvenSo’comingdowntheLittleHill！“allofusknewthatwe’dhavecompanyforthenight，andwehad。
Ididn’tlikethatman，butsomeoftheothersseemedtofindhimamusing。MaybeitwasbecauseIhadnothingtodobutsitandwatchhim，andsoIsawmoreofhimthantheoneswhocameandwentallthetime。Aslongastherewasanyoneintheroom，hecomplaineddreadfullyabouthissorefoot，andthencheeredupandtalked，andhecouldtellinterestingthings。Hewasyoung，buthemusthavebeenmosteverywhereandseeneverything。HewasverybraveandcouldstandoffthreemenwhoweregoingtotakefromhimthemoneyhewascarryingtobuyapieceoflandinIllinois。Theminutethegrownfolkslefttheroomtomilk，dothenightfeeding，andbeginsupper，hetwistedinhischairandlookedateverydoor，andwentandstoodatthebackdining-roomwindow，wherehecouldseethebarnandwhatwasoutthere，andcomingbackhetookapeepintofather’sandmother’sroom，andalthoughhelimpeddreadfullywhenhecame，hewalkedlikeanyonewhenhewentoverandpickedupfather’sgunandlookedtoseeifitwereloaded，andseemedmightygladwhenhefounditwasn’t。Fathersaidhecouldloadinaflashwhenitwasnecessary，buthewasdubiousaboutaloadedguninahousefullofchildren。Notoneofusevertouchedit，untiltheboyswerebigenoughtohavepermission，likeLaddieandLeonhad。Hesaidagunwassuchagreat“moralpersuader，“thatthesightofonewasmostlyallthatwasneeded，andnobodycouldtellbylookingatitwhetheritwasloadedornot。Thismancould，forheexaminedthelockandsmiledinapleasedwayoverit，andheneverlimpedastepgoingbacktohischair。Hekeptoncomplaining，untilfathertoldhimbeforebedtimethathehadbetterrestadayortwo，andmothersaidthatwouldbeagoodidea。
Hetalkedsomuchwecouldn’tdoourlessonsorspellverywell，butitwasFridayandwe’dhaveanotherchanceSaturday，soitdidn’tmakesomuchdifference。FathersaidthetravellermustbetiredandsleepyandLeonshouldtakealightandshowhimtobed。Hestayedsolongfatherwenttothefootofthestairway，andaskedhimwhyhedidn’tcomedownandhesaidhewasinbedtoo。ThenextmorninghewassleepyatbreakfastandLaddiesaiditwasnowonder，becauseLeonandthetravellerweretalkingwhenhewentupstairs。Themanturnedtofatherandsaid：
“That’samightysmartboy，Mr。Stanton。“Fatherfrownedandsaid：“Praisetothefaceisopendisgrace。Ihopehewillbesmartenoughnottodisgraceus，anyway。“
Thetravellersaidhewassurehewouldbe，andwecouldseethathehadtakenalikingtoLeon，forhewentwithhimtothebarntohelpdothemorningfeeding。Theystayedsolongmothersentmetocallthem，andwhenIgotthere，themanwastellingLeonhowfoolishitwasforboystoliveonafarm；howtheyneverwouldamounttoanythingunlesstheywenttocities，andaboutallthefuntherewasthere，andhowniceitwastotravel，evenalongtheroads，becauseeveryonefedyou，andgaveyouagoodbed。Heforgotthatwalkinghadmadehisfootlame，andI
couldn’tsee，tosaveme，whyhewasgoingtospendhismoneytobuyafarm，ifhethoughtatowntheonlyplacewhereitwasfittolive。
HestayedallSaturday，andfathersaidSundaywasnosuitabletimetostartonajourneyagain，andtheman’sfootwasbadwhenfatherwasaround，soitwouldbebettertowaituntilMonday。
ThetravellertaggedLeonandtoldhimwhatafinefellowhewas，howsmarthewas，andtoproveit，Leonboastedabouteverythingheknew，andshowedthemanalloverthefarm。
IevensawthempasstheStationintheorchard，andheardLeonbraghowfatherhadbeenanagentfortheGovernor；butofcoursehedidn’treallyshowhimtheplace，andprobablyitwouldhavemadenodifferenceifhehad，forallthemoneymusthavebeenspentonSally’swedding。Ofcoursefathermighthaveputsometherehehadgotsince，orthatmoneymightneverhavebeenhisatall，butitseemedasifitwouldbe，becauseitwasonhisland。
Sundayeveningallofusattendedchurch，butthetravellerwastootired，sowhenLeonsaidhe’dstaywithhim，fatherthoughtitwasallright。Icouldseenoonewantedtoleavethemanaloneinthehouse。Hesaidthey’dgotobedearly，andwecameinquitelate。Thelampwasturnedlow，thedoorunlocked，andeverythinginplace。Laddiewenttobedwithoutacandle，andsaidhe’dundressandslipineasysoasnottowakenthem。
Inthemorningwhenhegotupthetraveller’sbedhadn’tbeensleptin，andneitherhadLeon’s。Thegunwasgone，andfatherstaredatmother，andmotherstaredatLaddie，andheturnedandranstraighttowardtheStation，andinaminutehewasback，whiterthanaplate。Hejustsaid：“Allgone！“Fatherandmoth
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