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〃If you will just tie up that dog； sir；〃 said the agent； 〃and come
this way； I would like to show you the Meltinagua pear；dissolves
in the mouth like snow； sir； trees will bear next year。〃
〃Oh； come look at the Royal Sparkling Ruby grape！〃 cried Euphemia。
〃It glows in the sun like a gem。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the agent； 〃and fills the air with fragrance during the
whole month of September〃
〃I tell you；〃 I shouted； 〃I can't hold this dog another minute！
The chain is cutting the skin off my hands。 Run； sir； run！ I'm
going to let go！〃
〃Run！ run！〃 cried Pomona。 〃Fly for your life！〃
The agent now began to be frightened； and shut up his book。
〃If you only could see the plates； sir； I'm sure〃
〃Are you ready？〃 I cried； as the dog； excited by Pomona's wild
shouts； made a bolt in his direction。
〃Good…day； if I must〃 said the agent； as he hurried to the gate。
But there he stopped。
〃There is nothing； sir；〃 he said； 〃that would so improve your place
as a row of the Spitzenberg Sweet…scented Balsam fir along this
fence。 I'll sell you three…year…old trees〃
〃He's loose！〃 I shouted； as I dropped the chain。
In a second the agent was on the other side of the gate。 Lord
Edward made a dash toward him； but； stopping suddenly； flew back to
the tree of the tramp。
〃If you should conclude； sir；〃 said the tree…agent； looking over
the fence； 〃to have a row of those firs along here〃
〃My good sir；〃 said I； 〃there is no row of firs there now； and the
fence is not very high。 My dog； as you see； is very much excited
and I cannot answer for the consequences if he takes it into his
head to jump over。〃
The tree…agent turned and walked slowly away。
〃Now； look…a…here；〃 cried the tramp from the tree； in the voice of
a very ill…used person； 〃ain't you goin' to fasten up that dog； and
let me git down？〃
I walked up close to the tree and addressed him。
〃No；〃 said I； 〃I am not。 When a man comes to my place； bullies a
young girl who was about to relieve his hunger； and then boldly
determines to enter my house and help himself to my property； I
don't propose to fasten up any dog that may happen to be after him。
If I had another dog； I'd let him loose； and give this faithful
beast a rest。 You can do as you please。 You can come down and
have it out with the dog； or you can stay up there； until I have
had my dinner。 Then I will drive down to the village and bring up
the constable； and deliver you into his hands。 We want no such
fellows as you about。〃
With that； I unhooked the chain from Lord Edward； and walked off to
put up the horse。 The man shouted after me； but I paid no
attention。 I did not feel in a good humor with him。
Euphemia was much disturbed by the various occurrences of the
afternoon。 She was sorry for the man in the tree； she was sorry
that the agent for the Royal Ruby grape had been obliged to go
away； and I had a good deal of trouble during dinner to make her
see things in the proper light。 But I succeeded at last。
I did not hurry through dinner； and when we had finished I went to
my work at the barn。 Tramps are not generally pressed for time；
and Pomona had been told to give our captive something to eat。
I was just locking the door of the carriage…house； when Pomona came
running to me to tell me that the tramp wanted to see me about
something very importantjust a minute； he said。 I put the key in
my pocket and walked over to the tree。 It was now almost dark； but
I could see that the dog； the tramp； and the tree still kept their
respective places。
〃Look…a…here；〃 said the individual in the crotch； 〃you don't know
how dreadful oneasy these limbs gits after you've been settin up
here as long as I have。 And I don't want to have nuthin to do with
no constables。 I'll tell you what I'll do if you'll chain up that
dog； and let me go； I'll fix things so that you'll not be troubled
no more by no tramps。〃
〃How will you do that？〃 I asked。
〃Oh； never you mind；〃 said he。 〃I'll give you my word of honor
I'll do it。 There's a reg'lar understandin' among us fellers； you
know。〃
I considered the matter。 The word of honor of a fellow such as he
was could not be worth much； but the merest chance of getting rid
of tramps should not be neglected。 I went in to talk to Euphemia
about it； although I knew what she would say。 I reasoned with
myself as much as with her。
〃If we put this one fellow in prison for a few weeks；〃 I said； 〃the
benefit is not very great。 If we are freed from all tramps； for
the season； the benefit is very great。 Shall we try for the
greatest good？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Euphemia； 〃and his legs must be dreadfully
stiff。〃
So I went out； and after a struggle of some minutes； I chained Lord
Edward to a post at a little distance from the apple…tree。 When he
was secure； the tramp descended nimbly from his perch；
notwithstanding his stiff legs； and hurried out of the gate。 He
stopped to make no remarks over the fence。 With a wild howl of
disappointed ambition； Lord Edward threw himself after him。 But
the chain held。
A lane of moderate length led from our house to the main road； and
the next day； as we were riding home； I noticed； on the trunk of a
large tree； which stood at the corner of the lane and road； a
curious mark。 I drew up to see what it was； but we could not make
it out。 It was a very rude device； cut deeply into the tree； and
somewhat resembled a square； a circle； a triangle； and a cross；
with some smaller marks beneath it。 I felt sure that our tramp had
cut it； and that it had some significance； which would be
understood by the members of his fraternity。
And it must have had； for no tramps came near us all that summer。
We were visited by a needy person now and then； but by no member of
the regular army of tramps。
One afternoon； that fall； I walked home； and at the corner of the
lane I saw a tramp looking up at the mark on the tree； which was
still quite distinct。
〃What does that mean？〃 I said； stepping up to him。
〃How do I know？〃 said the man； 〃and what do you want to know fur？〃
〃Just out of curiosity；〃 I said； 〃I have often noticed it。 I think
you can tell me what it means； and if you will do so； I'll give you
a dollar。〃
〃And keep mum about it？〃 said the man。
〃Yes；〃 I replied； taking out the dollar。
〃All right！〃 said the tramp。 〃That sign means that the man that
lives up this lane is a mean； stingy cuss； with a wicked dog； and
it's no good to go there。〃
I handed him the dollar and went away； perfectly satisfied with my
reputation。
I wish here to make some mention of Euphemia's methods of work in
her chicken…yard。 She kept a book； which she at first called her
〃Fowl Record；〃 but she afterward changed the name to 〃Poultry
Register。〃 I never could thoroughly understand this book； although
she has often explained every part of it to me。 She had pages for
registering the age； description； time of purchase or of birth； and
subsequent performances of every fowl in her yard。 She had
divisions of the book for expenses； profits； probable losses and
positive losses； she noted the number of eggs put under each
setting hen； the number of eggs cr