that there was liable to be a wedding as soon as school was out. Mamma
was present, and neither admitted nor denied the charge. But there was
a woman at this quilting who had once lived over in our neighborhood
and felt it her duty to enlighten the company as to who I was. I got
all this later from my landlady. 'Law me,' said this woman, 'folks
round here in this section think our teacher is the son of that big
farmer who raises so many cattle and horses. Why, I've known both
families of those Quarternights for nigh on to thirty year. Our
teacher is one of old John Fox's boys, the Irish Quarternights, who
live up near the salt licks on Doe Run. They were always so poor that
the children never had enough to eat and hardly half enough to wear.'

"This plain statement of facts fell like a bombshell on mamma. She
started a private investigation of her own, and her verdict was in
that letter. It was a centre shot. That evening when I locked the
schoolhouse door it was for the last time, for I never unlocked it
again. My landlady, dear old womanly soul, tried hard to have me teach
the school out at least, but I didn't see it that way. The cause of
education in Kentucky might have gone straight to eternal hell, before
I'd have stayed another day in that neighborhood. I had money enough
to get to Texas with, and here I am. When a fellow gets it burnt into
him like a brand that way once, it lasts him quite a while. He 'll
feel his way next time."

"That was rather a raw deal to give a fellow," said Officer, who had
been listening while playing cards. "Didn't you never see the girl
again?"

"No, nor you wouldn't want to either if that letter had been written
to you. And some folks claim that seven is a lucky number; there were