young man seeks a private interview with a marriageable young woman, and
recklessly refuses at the outset to retain at least his cane for the
solution of the intricate conversational problem of what to do with his
hands, it is an infallible sign that some madly rash intention has
temporarily overpowered his usual sheepish imbecility, and that he may
be expected to speak and act with almost human intelligence.

With hand instinctively pressed upon her heart, to moderate its too
sanguine pulsations and show the delicate lace around her cuffs, FLORA
shyly entered the parlor, and surprised Mr. PENDRAGON striding up and
down the apartment like one of the more comic of the tragic actors of
the day.

"Miss POTTS!" ejaculated the wild young Southern pedestrian, pausing
suddenly at her approach, with considerable excitement of manner, "scorn
me, spurn me, if you will; but do not let sectional embitterment blind
you to the fact that I am here by the request of Mr. DIBBLE."

"I wasn't scorning and spurning anybody," explained the startled orphan,
coyly accepting the chair he pushed forward. "I'm sure I don't feel any
sectional hatred, nor any other ridiculous thing."

"Forgive me!" pleaded MONTGOMERY. "I reckon I'm a heap too sensitive
about my Southern birth; but only think, Miss POTTS, what I've had to go
through since I've been amongst you Yankees! Fancy what it is to be
suspected of a murder, and have no political influence."

"It must be _so_ absurd!" murmured FLORA.

"I've felt wretched enough about it to become a contributor to the