The young girl opened a drawer of her table and took out a small packet
of letters tied up with a green ribbon. As she did so she heard the
sound of hoofs in the rear courtyard. This was presently followed by
a step on the veranda, and she opened the door to her father with the
letters still in her hand. There was neither the least embarrassment nor
self-consciousness in her manner.

Captain Dows, superficially remarkable only for a certain odd
combination of high military stock and turned-over planter's collar, was
slightly exalted by a sympathetic mingling of politics and mint julep
at Pineville Court House. "I was passing by the post-office at the Cross
Roads last week, dear," he began, cheerfully, "and I thought of you, and
reckoned it was about time that my Pussy got one of her letters from her
rich Californian friend--and sure enough there was one. I clean forgot
to give it to you then, and only remembered it passing there to-day. I
didn't get to see if there was any gold-dust in it," he continued, with
great archness, and a fatherly pinch of her cheek; "though I suspect
that isn't the kind of currency he sends to you."

"It IS from Mr. Corbin," said Miss Sally, taking it with a languid kind
of doubt; "and only now, paw, I was just thinking that I'd sort of drop
writing any more; it makes a good deal of buzzing amongst the neighbors,
and I don't see much honey nor comb in it."

"Eh," said the Captain, apparently more astonished than delighted at
his daughter's prudence. "Well, child, suit yourself! It's mighty mean,
though, for I was just thinking of telling you that Judge Read is an
old friend of this Colonel Starbottle, who is your friend's friend and
lawyer, and he says that Colonel Starbottle is WITH US, and working