--"oligarchy," repeated the girl quickly, "my breath was just took away.
I said to maw, 'Ain't he too sweet for anything!' I did, honest Injin!
And when you rolled it all off at the end--never missing a word (you
didn't need to mark 'em in a lesson-book, but had 'em all ready on your
tongue)--and walked out--Well! I didn't know you nor the Ditch Company
from Adam, but I could have just run over and kissed you there before
the whole court!"

She laughed, with her face glowing, although her strange eyes were cast
down. Alack! the Colonel's face was equally flushed, and his own beady
eyes were on his desk. To any other woman he would have voiced the banal
gallantry that he should now, himself, look forward to that reward, but
the words never reached his lips. He laughed, coughed slightly, and when
he looked up again she had fallen into the same attitude as on her first
visit, with her parasol point on the floor.

"I must ask you to--er--direct your memory to--er--another point: the
breaking off of the--er--er--er--engagement. Did he--er--give any reason
for it? Or show any cause?"

"No; he never said anything," returned the girl.

"Not in his usual way?--er--no reproaches out of the hymn-book?--or the
sacred writings?"

"No; he just QUIT."

"Er--ceased his attentions," said the Colonel gravely. "And naturally
you--er--were not conscious of any cause for his doing so."