托马斯、约翰·梅瑞克一行人在回家的路上偶遇流浪汉，并猜测了他的身份。最后他们一路风尘仆仆终于到达约翰在乡间的农场，安静、舒适的乡间环境让他们抖掉一身的疲惫……Over the brow of the little hill appeared a three—seated wagon，drawn by a pair of handsome sorrels，and in a moment the equipagea halted beside the sleeper.
"Oh，Thomas Hucks—you dear，dear Thomas！"cried aclear，eager voice，and out from the car rushed Miss Patricia Doyle，to throw her arms about the neck of the old，stoop—shoulderedb and white—haired driver，whose face was illuminedc by a joyous smile.
"Glad to see ye，Miss Patsy；right glad 'ndeed，child，"returned the old man.But others were waiting to greet him；pretty Beth De Graf and dainty Louise Merrick—not Louise "Merrick"any longer，though，but bearing a new name she had recently acquired—and demured Mary，Patsy's little maid and an old friend of Thomas Hucks'，and Uncle John with his merry laugh and cordial handshake and，finally，a tall and rather dandi？ede young man who remained an interested spectator in the background until Mr.Merrick seized and dragged him forward.
"Here's another for you to know，Thomas，"said the little millionaire."This is the other half f of our Louise—Mr.Arthur Weldon—and by and by you can judge whether he's the better half or not."The aged servant，hat in hand，made a respectful bow to Mr.Weldon.His frank eyes swept the young man from head to foot but his smile was the same as before.
"Miss Louise is wiser ner I be，"said the old fellowsimply；"I'm safe to trust to her judgment，I guess."There was a general laugh，at this，and they began to clambera aboard the wagon and to stow away beneath the seats the luggage the colored porter was bringing out.
"Stop at the Junction House，Thomas，"said Mr.Merrick asthey moved away.
"Nora has the breakfast all ready at home，sir，"replied Thomas.
"Good for Nora！But we can't fast until we reach home—eight good miles of jolting—so we'll stop at the Junction House for a glass of Mrs.Todd's famous milk.""Very good，sir.""Is anyone coming for our trunks and freight ？There's half a car of truck to be cartedb over.""Ned's on the way，sir；and he'll get the liveryman tohelp if he can't carry it all."The Junction House was hidden from the station by the tiny hill，as were the half dozen other buildings tributaryc to Chazy Junction.As the wagon drew up before the long piazza which extended along the front of the little frame inn they sawa man in shabby gray seated at a small table with some bread and a glass of milk before him.It was their unrecognized guest of the night—the uninvited lodgera on the rear platform—but he did not raise his eyes or appear to notice the new arrivals.
"Mrs.Todd ！Hey，Mrs.Todd！"called Uncle John.
"Anybody milked the cow yet ？"
A frowsyb looking woman came out，all smiles，and nodded pleasantly at the expectant group in the wagon.Behind her loomed the tall，lean form of Lucky Todd，the "proprietor，"who was serious as a goat，which animal he closely resembled in feature.
"Breakfas'all 'round，Mr.Merrick？"asked the woman.
"Not this time，Mrs.Todd.Nora has our breakfast waiting for us.But we want some of your delicious milk to last us to the farm.""Las'night's milkin's half cream by this time，"sherejoined，as she brisklyc reentered the house.
The man at the table held out his empty glass."Here；ll this up，"he said to Lucky Todd.
The somber—faced proprietor turned his gaze from the Merrick group to the stranger，eyed him pensively a moment and then faced the wagon again.The man in gray got up，placed the empty glass in Todd's hand，whirledd him aroundfacing the door and said sternly："More milk！"The landlord walked in like an automaton，and a suppressed giggle came from the girls in the wagon.Uncle John was likewise amused，and despite the unknown's frazzleda apparelb the little millionaire addressed him in the same tone he would have used toward an equal.
"Don't blame you，sir.Nobody ever tasted better milkthan they have at the Junction House."The man，who had resumed his seat，stood up，took off his hat and bowed.But he made no reply.
Out came Mrs.Todd，accompanied by another frowsywoman.Between them they bore a huge jug of milk，a number of thick glasses and a plate of crackers.
"The crackers come extry，Mr.Merrick，"said thelandlady，"but seein'as milk's cheap I thought you might like 'em."The landlord now came out and placed the stranger's glass，about half filled with milk，on the table before him.The man looked at it，frowned，and tossed off c the milk in one gulpd.
"More！"he said，holding out the glass.
Todd shook his head.
"Ain't no more，"he declared.
His wife overheard him and pausing in her task of re？lling the glasses for the rich man's party she looked over her shoulder and said：
"Give him what he wants，Lucky."
The landlord pondered.
"Not fer ten cents，Nancy，"he protested."The fellera said he wanted ten cents wuth o'breakfas'，an'by Joe he's had it.""Milk's cheap，"remarked Mrs.Todd."It's crackers as isexpensive these days.Fill up his glass，Lucky.""Why is your husband called 'Lucky，'Mrs.Todd ？"inquired Patsy，who was enjoying the cool，creamy milk.
"'Cause he got me to manage him，I guess，"was the laughing reply."Todd ain't much 'count 'nless I'm on the spot to order him 'round."The landlord came out with the glass of milk but paused before he set it down.
"Let's see your money，"he said suspiciously.
It seemed to the girls，who were curiously watching the scene，that the tramp flushed under his bronzed skin；but without reply he searched in a pocket and drew out four copper cents，which he laid upon the table.After further exploration he abstracted a nickel from another pocket and pushed the coins toward the landlord.
"'Nother cent，"said Todd.
Continued search seemed for a time hopeless，but at last，in quite an unexpected way，the man produced the ？nal cent and on receiving it Todd set down the milk.
"Anything more，yer honor？"he asked sarcasticallya.
"Yes；you might bring me the morning paper，"was the reply.