Section 3 Summary

In a house two lots away from Almeda lives a man named Jarvis Pouter who arrived a short time ago. Jarvis is a widower and his house reflects his completely masculine lifestyle. Although Jarvis is a respectable businessman who makes the bulk of his money through his salt mine excavations he is also known in the town for taking water from the town pump and for picking up random pieces of coal at the train tracks for his home fuel use.

Jarvis walks Almeda home from church on Sunday mornings and the local newspaper the Vidette prints speculations about their courting. Everyone in town assumes that this is Almeda's wish since it has been five years since the publication of her book and she is still of a marriageable age. Unfortunately, Jarvis has given no indication of any romantic inclinations and Almeda keeps...