“It’s a wet day,” sighed the caller, as she sank into the chair and let the suitcase drop on the floor with an air of relief. She was remarkably tall and very slight, dressed in shabby black, and with enormous pale blue eyes. They positively drowned out her face and gave you the uncanny impression that she hadn’t any features but eyes. Otherwise you might have noticed that her cheek-bones were a shade too high and her thin mouth rather long and new-moonish. She gave Squedunk such a look of disapproval that that astute cat remarked that he would go out and have a look at the weather and stood not upon the order of his going.

“It’s a wet day for traveling but I’ve allowed myself just ten days to do the Island and time is getting on.”

“You don’t belong to the Island?” said Rae…quite superfluously, Judy thought. Sure and cudn’t ye be telling that niver belonged to the Island!

“No.” Another long sigh. “My home is in Novy Scoshy. I’ve seen better days. But when you haven’t a husband to support you you’ve got to make a living somehow. I was an agent before I was married and so I just took to the road again. Every little helps.”

“Sure and it do be hard lines to be a widdy in this could world,” said Judy, instantly sympathetic, and hauling forward her pot of soup.

“Oh, I ain’t a widdy woman, worse luck.” Another sigh. “My husband left me years ago.”

“Oh, oh!” Judy pushed the pot back again. If your husband left you there was something wrong somewhere. “And what might ye be selling?”

“All kinds of pills and liniments, tonics and perfumes, face creams and powders,” said the caller, opening her suitcase and preparing to display her wares. But at this juncture the porch door opened and Tillytuck appeared in the doorway. He got no further, being apparently frozen in his tracks. As for the lady of the eyes, she clasped her hands and opened and shut her mouth twice. The third time she managed to ejaculate,

“Josiah!”

Tillytuck said something like “Good gosh!” He gazed helplessly around him. “I’m sober…I’m sober…I can’t hope I’m drunk now.”

“Oh, oh, so this lady is no stranger to you I’m thinking?” said Judy.

“Stranger!” The lady in question rolled her eyes rapidly, making Rae think of the dogs in the old fairy tale. “He is…he was…he is my husband.”

Judy looked at Tillytuck.

“Is it the truth she do be spaking, Mr. Tillytuck?”

Tillytuck tried to brazen it out. He nodded and grinned.

“Oh, oh,” said Judy sarcastically, “and isn’t the truth refreshing after all the lies we’ve been hearing!”