“Well, I`ll be switched!” he said aloud to himself. “He`s clean out`n his head. That poor old feller`s been livin` down there till he`s gone outen his mind. I`ll have to notify the authorities.” And he flicked his whip with great enthusiasm. “Geddap!” he said, and was off.
Reifsneider met no one else in this poorly populated region until he reached the whitewashed fence of Matilda Race and her husband three miles away. He had passed several other houses en route, but these not being within the range of his illusion were not considered. His wife, who had known Matilda well, must be here. He opened the picket-gate which guarded the walk, and stamped briskly up to the door.
“Why, Mr. Reifsneider,” exclaimed old Matilda herself, a stout woman, looking out of the door in answer to his knock, “what brings yuh here this mornin`?”
“Is Phoebe here?” he demanded eagerly.
“Phoebe who? What Phoebe?” replied Mrs. Race, curious as to this sudden development of energy on his part.
“Why, my Phoebe, o` course. My wife Phoebe. Who do yuh s`pose? Ain`t she here now?”
Farmer`s eyes softened
“Lawsy me!” exclaimed Mrs. Race, opening her mouth. “Yuh pore man! So you`re clean out`n your mind now. Yuh come right in and sit down. I`ll git yuh a cup o` coffee. O` course your wife ain`t here; but yuh come in an` sit down. I`ll find her fer yuh after a while. I know where she is.”
The old farmer`s eyes softened, and he entered. He was so thin and pale a specimen, pantalooned and patriarchal, that he aroused Mrs. Race`s extremest sympathy as he took off his hat and laid it on his knees quite softly and mildly.
“We had a quarrel last night, an` she left me,” he volunteered.
“Laws! laws!” sighed Mrs. Race, there being no one present with whom to share her astonishment as she went to her kitchen. “The pore man! Now somebody`s just got to look after him. He can`t be allowed to run around the country this way lookin` for his dead wife. It`s tumble.”
She boiled him a pot of coffee and brought in some of her new- baked bread and fresh butter. She set out some of her best jam and put a couple of eggs to boil, lying whole-heartedly the while.
“Now yuh stay right there, Uncle Henry, till Jake comes in, an` I`ll send him to look for Phoebe. I think it`s more`n likely she`s over to Swinnerton with some o` her friends. Anyhow, we`ll find out. Now yuh just drink this coffee an` eat this bread. Yuh must be tired. Yuh`ve had a long walk this mornin`.” Her idea was to take counsel with Jake, “her man,” and perhaps have him notify the authorities.
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