The Candy Man did not exactly understand how a letter could be
shipwrecked in an overland journey of ten hours, but he dismissed it as
of no importance. "It isn't worth reading now," he said. "It was just
to make my adieus and ask if some time when I had lived down my past,"
here he smiled, "I might come back and tell you my strange story. I was
counting on your willingness to be friends. You remember you said it
would do no harm to hope."

"Oh, did I? And when you did not hear from me, what did you think?
Honestly," asked Margaret Elizabeth.

"I thought of course there must be a reason. A shipwreck did not occur
to me."

"Do you mean a reason for not being friends? But you came."

"The suspense was too much for me. I haven't many friends; and besides,
this is on the way to Texas."

"So you are going to Texas this time?"

It seemed the Candy Man had heard of an opening there.

Margaret Elizabeth wanted to ask why he had come to the park, but
something told her not to; instead she said, looking away to the shining
river, "I know of no reason why we should not be friends. So I am ready
to hear the story you speak of. Is it more strange than the adventures
of a Candy Wagon?" Her eyes came back and met his as they had done the
day when the conversation turned upon fairy godmothers. Margaret
Elizabeth was not spoiled.