lay　the　dust　that　every　passerby　kicks　up；　he　tries　to　smear　over　the　truth　regarding　conditions　with　messy　and　ill…smelling　oil。　Above　everything；　he　doesn't　want　the　road　dug　up　and　rebuiltsays　it　will　interfere　with　traffic；　injure　business；　and　even　set　people　to　talking　about　changing　the　route　entirely！　Oh；　haven't　I　seen　it　in　religion；　where　they　are　doing　their　best　to　oil　up　roads　that　are　entirely　worn　outand　as　for　politics；　is　not　the　cry　of　the　party…roadster　and　the　harmony…oilers　abroad　in　the　land？〃
  In　the　excited　interest　with　which　this　idea　now　bore　me　along　I　had　entirely　forgotten　the　existence　of　my　companion；　and　as　I　now　glanced　at　him　I　saw　him　standing　with　a　curious　look　of　astonishment　and　suspicion　on　his　face。　I　saw　that　I　had　unintentionally　gone　a　little　too　far。　So　I　said　abruptly：
  〃Partner；　let's　get　a　drink。　I'm　thirsty。〃
  He　followed　me；　I　thought　a　bit　reluctantly；　to　a　little　brook　not　far　up　the　road　where　we　had　been　once　before。　As　we　were　drinking；　silently；　I　looked　at　the　stout　young　fellow　standing　there；　and　I　thought　to　myself：
  What　a　good；　straightforward　young　fellow　he　is　anyway；　and　how　thoroughly　he　knows　his　job。　I　thought　how　well　he　was　equipped　with　unilluminated　knowledge；　and　it　came　to　me　whimsically；　that　here　was　a　fine　bit　of　road…mending　for　me　to　do。
  Most　people　have　sight；　but　few　have　insight；　and　as　I　looked　into　the　clear　blue　eyes　of　my　friend　I　had　a　sudden　swift　inspiration；　and　before　I　could　repent　of　it　I　had　said　to　him　in　the　most　serious　voice　that　I　could　command：
  〃Friend；　I　am　in　reality　a　spectacle…peddler〃
  His　glance　shifted　uncomfortably　to　my　gray　bag。
  〃And　I　want　to　sell　you　a　pair　of　spectacles；〃　I　said。　〃I　see　that　you　are　nearly　blind。〃
  〃Me　blind！〃
  It　would　be　utterly　impossible　to　describe　the　expression　on　his　face。　His　hand　went　involuntarily　to　his　eyes；　and　he　glanced　quickly；　somewhat　fearfully；　about。
  〃Yes；　nearly　blind；〃　said　I。　〃I　saw　it　when　I　first　met　you。　You　don't　know　it　yourself　yet；　but　I　can　assure　you　it　is　a　bad　case。〃
  I　paused；　and　shook　my　head　slowly。　If　I　had　not　been　so　much　in　earnest；　I　think　I　should　have　been　tempted　to　laugh　outright。　I　had　begun　my　talk　with　him　half　jestingly；　with　the　amusing　idea　of　breaking　through　his　shell；　but　I　now　found　myself　tremendously　engrossed；　and　desired　nothing　in　the　world　（at　that　moment）　so　much　as　to　make　him　see　what　I　saw。　I　felt　as　though　I　held　a　live　human　soul　in　my　hand。
  〃Say；　partner；〃　said　the　road…worker；　〃are　you　sure　you　aren't〃　He　tapped　his　forehead　and　began　to　edge　away。
  I　did　not　answer　his　question　at　all；　but　continued；　with　my　eyes　fixed　on　him：
  〃It　is　a　peculiar　sort　of　blindness。　Apparently；　as　you　look　about；　you　see　everything　there　is　to　see；　but　as　a　matter　of　fact　you　see　nothing　in　the　world　but　this　road〃
  〃It's　time　that　I　was　seein'　it　again　then；〃　said　he；　making　as　if　to　turn　back　to　work；　but　remaining　with　a　disturbed　expression　on　his　countenance。
  〃The　Spectacles　I　have　to　sell；〃　said　I；　〃are　powerful　magnifiers〃he　glanced　again　at　the　gray　bag。　〃When　you　put　them　on　you　will　see　a　thousand　wonderful　things　besides　the　road〃
  〃Then　you　ain't　road…worker　after　all！〃　he　said；　evidently　trying　to　be　bluff　and　outright　with　me。
  Now　your　substantial；　sober；　practical　American　will　stand　only　about　so　much　verbal　foolery；　and　there　is　nothing　in　the　world　that　makes　him　more　uncomfortableyes；　downright　mad！　than　to　feel　that　he　is　being　played　with。　I　could　see　that　I　had　nearly　reached　the　limit　with　him；　and　that　if　I　held　him　now　it　must　be　by　driving　the　truth　straight　home。　So　I　stepped　over　toward　him　and　said　very　earnestly：
  〃My　friend；　don't　think　I　am　merely　joking　you。　I　was　never　more　in　earnest　in　all　my　life。　When　I　told　you　I　was　a　road…worker　I　meant　it；　but　I　had　in　mind　the　mending　of　other　kinds　of　roads　than　this。〃
  I　laid　my　hand　on　his　arm；　and　explained　to　him　as　directly　and　simply　as　English　words　could　do　it；　how；　when　he　had　spoken　of　oil　for　his　roads；　I　thought　of　another　sort　of　oil　for　another　sort　of　roads；　and　when　he　spoke　of　curves　in　his　roads　I　was　thinking　of　curves　in　the　roads　I　dealt　with；　and　I　explained　to　him　what　my　roads　were。　I　have　never　seen　a　man　more　intensely　interested：　he　neither　moved　nor　took　his　eyes　from　my　face。
  〃And　when　I　spoke　of　selling　you　a　pair　of　spectacles；〃　said　I；　〃it　was　only　a　way　of　telling　you　how　much　I　wanted　to　make　you　see　my　kinds　of　roads　as　well　as　your　own。〃
  I　paused；　wondering　if；　after　all；　he　could　be　made　to　see。　I　know　now　how　the　surgeon　must　feel　at　the　crucial　moment　of　his　accomplished　operation。　Will　the　patient　live　or　die？
  The　road…worker　drew　a　long　breath　as　he　came　out　from　under　the　anesthetic。
  〃I　guess；　partner；〃　said　he；　〃you're　trying　to　put　a　stone　or　two　in　my　ruts！〃
  I　had　him！
  〃Exactly；〃　I　exclaimed　eagerly。
  We　both　paused。　He　was　the　first　to　speakwith　some　embarrassment：
  〃Say；　you're　just　like　a　preacher　I　used　to　know　when　I　was　a　kid。　He　was　always　sayin'　things　that　meant　something　else　and　when　you　found　out　what　he　was　drivin'　at　you　always　felt　kind　of　queer　in　your　insides。〃
  I　laughed。
  〃It's　a　mighty　good　sign；〃　I　said；　〃when　a　man　begins　to　feel　queer　in　the　insides。　It　shows　that　something　is　happening　to　him。〃
  With　that　we　walked　back　to　the　road；　feeling　very　close　and　friendlyand　shovelling　again；　not　saying　much。　After　quite　a　time；　when　we　had　nearly　cleaned　up　the　landslide；　I　heard　the　husky　road…worker　chuckling　to　himself；　finally；　straightening　up；　he　said：
  〃Say；　there's　more　things　in　a　road　than　ever　I　dreamt　of。〃
  〃I　see；〃　said　I；　〃that　the　new　spectacles　are　a　good　fit。〃
  The　road…worker　laughed　long　and　loud。
  〃You're　a　good　one；　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃I　see　what　YOU　mean。　I　catch　your　point。〃
  〃And　now　that　you've　got　them　on；〃　said　I；　〃and　they　are　serving　you　so　well；　I'm　not　going　to　sell　them　to　you　at　all。　I'm　going　to　present　them　to　youfor　I　haven't　seen　anybody　in　a　long　time　that　I've　enjoyed　meeting　more　than　I　have　you。〃
  We　nurse　a　fiction　that　people　love　to　cover　up　their　feelings；　but　I　have　learned　that　if　the　feeling　is　real　and　deep　they　love　far　better　to　find　a　way　to　uncover　it。
  〃Same　here；〃　said　the　road…worker　simply；　but　with　a　world　of　genuine　feeling　in　his　voice。
  Well；　when　it　came　time　to　stop　work　the　road…worker　insisted　that　I　get　in　and　go　home　with　him。
  〃I　want　you　to　see　my　wife　and　kids；〃　said　he。
  The　upshot　of　it　was　that　I　not　only　remained　for　supperand　a　good　supper　it　wasbut　I　spent　the　night　in　his　little　home；　close　at　the　side　of　the　road　near　the　foot　of　a　fine　hill。　And　from　time　to　time　all　night　long；　it　seemed　to　me；　I　could　hear　the　rush　of　cars　going　by　in　the　smooth　road　outside；　and　sometimes　their　lights　flashed　in　at　my　window；　and　sometimes　I　heard　them　sound　their　brassy　horns。
  I　wish　I　could　tell　more　of　what　I　saw　there；　of　the　garden　back　of　the　house；　and　of　all　the　road…worker　and　his　wife　told　me　of　their　simple　historybut；　the　road　calls！
  When　I　set　forth　early　this　morning　the　road…worker　followed　me　out　to　the　smooth　macadam　（his　wife　standing　in　the　doorway　with　her　hands　rolled　in　her　apron）　and　said　to　me；　a　bit　shyly：
  〃I'll　be　more　sort　o'sort　o'　interested　in　roads　since　I've　seen　you。〃
  〃I'll　be　along　again　some　of　these　days；〃　said　I；　laughing；　〃and　I'll　stop　in　and　show　you　my　new　stock　of　spectacles。　Maybe　I　can　sell　you　another　pair！〃
  〃Maybe　you　kin；〃　and　he　smiled　a　broad；　understanding　smile。
  Nothing　brings　men　together　like　having　a　joke　in　common。
  So　I　walked　off　down　the　roadin　the　best　of　spiritsready　for　the　events　of　another　day。
  It　will　surely　be　a　great　adventure；　one　of　these　days；　to　come　this　way　againand　to　visit　the　Stanleys；　and　the　Vedders；　and　the　Minister；　and　drop　in　and　sell　another　pair　of　specs　to　the　Road…worker。　It　seems　to　me　I　have　a　wonderfully　rosy　future　ahead　of　me！
  P。　S。I　have　not　yet　found　out　who　painted　the　curious　signs；　but　I　am　not　as　uneasy　about　it　as　I　was。　I　have　seen　two　more　of　them　already　this　morningand　find　they　exert　quite　a　psychological　influence。
  CHAPTER　VI。　　　AN　EXPERIMENT　IN　HUMAN　NATURE
  In　the　early　morning　after　I　left　the　husky　road…mender　（wearing　his　new　spectacles）；　I　remained　steadfastly　on　the　Great　Road　or　near　it。　It　was　a　prime　spring　day；　just　a　little　hazy；　as　though　promising　rain；　but　soft　and　warm。
  〃They　will　be　working　in　the　garden　at　home；〃　I　thought；　〃and　there　will　be　worlds　of　rhubarb　and　asparagus。〃　Then　I　remembered　how　the　morning　sunshine　would　look　on　the　little　vine…clad　back　porch　（reaching　halfway　up　the　weathered　door）　of　my　own　house　among　the　hills。
  It　was　the　first　time　since　my　pilgrimage　began　that　I　had　thought　with　any　emotion　of　my　farmor　of　Harriet。
  And　then　the　road　claimed　me　again；　and　I　began　to　look　out　for　some　further　explanation　of　the　curious　sign；　the　single　word　〃Rest；〃　which　had　interested　me　so　keenly　on　the　preceding　day。　It　may　seem　absurd　to　some　who　read　these　linessome　practical　people！but　I　cannot　convey　the　pleasure　I　had　in　the　very　elusiveness　and　mystery　of　the　sign；　nor　how　I