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“On the roadway was a buggy and a horse, and in the buggy sat a smiling young woman. Why she smiled Sam could not imagine; but then, he could not see the comical expression on his own face on being thus suddenly aroused to a sense of his duty.

“‘How much is the toll?’ said the young woman, still smiling.

“Sam looked at her; she was a good-looking young person, and he liked her smile, for it betokened a sense of humor, and that pleased him. ‘How much?’ he repeated. ‘A vehicle, a man, and a horse–‘

“‘But this is a girl and a mare,’ she interrupted. ‘How much is that?’

“Sam looked up and smiled. This young person certainly had a sense of humor. ‘I wonder how much that would be,’ he said. ‘I guess I’ll have to get a pencil and paper and work it out.’

“The girl laughed. ‘You are not the toll-gate keeper?’ she asked.

“‘No,’ replied Sam. ‘I’m keepin’ it for her. She’s eatin’ her dinner. Don’t you know the toll yourself? You’ve paid it before, haven’t you?’

“‘No, I haven’t,’ she replied. ‘I am visiting in the neighborhood. But I won’t haggle about being a girl. I’ll pay the price for a man, if you will let me know what it is.’

“An idea came suddenly into Sam Twitty’s head: this was a very bright girl, a very attractive girl, who was visiting in the neighborhood, and he determined to keep her at the toll-gate a few minutes if he could.

“‘I don’t want to make any mistake,’ he said quickly. ‘I’ll jes pop into the house and see what the toll really’ll be for you.’

“‘Oh, you needn’t do that,’ said the young woman. ‘Of course it is the same–‘

“But Sam was gone; and she laughed and said to herself that the deputy toll-gate keeper was a very funny person. Sam ran to the house, panting. He beckoned to Captain Abner to step outside.

“‘Look a’ here,’ he said; ‘you hurry out to the gate and take a good long look at the girl that’s there. She’s a-visitin’ in the neighborhood. Now mind you take a good look at her, and I’ll be there in a minute.’

“Without exactly understanding the reason for this earnest injunction, Abner went to the gate. He was accustomed to taking Sam’s advice if he saw no good reason against it.

“The toll-gate woman was on her feet, but Sam detained her, and said something about the relation between sex and toll.

“‘Well, well,’ said the woman, ‘she must be a queer one. I’ll go out to her.’

“‘Oh, no,’ cried Sam. ‘Sit here and finish your dinner. He’s comin’ right back, and I’ll collect the toll.’ Half-way to the toll-house Sam met Abner. ‘What do you think of her?’ he asked hurriedly. ‘Did you take a good look at her?’

“‘Yes, I did,’ replied his friend, ‘and I don’t think nothin’ of her. What is there to think about her?’

“‘Go back to your dinner,’ cried Sam. ‘I’ve got to collect her toll.’

“‘I want you to tell me,’ said the girl, not smiling now, ‘do you keep a detective here? Do you think I want to cheat the road out of its toll? I am ready to pay the charge, whatever it is.’

“‘Detective!’ exclaimed Sam.

“‘Yes,’ said she; ‘that little brown man who came out here and looked at me as if he were determined to know me the next time he saw me.’

“‘Oh, him!’ said Sam. ‘That’s a friend of mine, Cap’n Abner Budlong. He’s no detective, nor nothin’ like one. He jes came out to see who was passin’ while I was findin’ out about the toll. He’s always fond of seein’ people.’

“‘I should think he was,’ said the young woman. ‘In fact, I think you are a funny lot, toll-gate woman and all. Now here is a quarter; please take the toll and give me the change, that is, if you know how to calculate.’