circumstances of his acquaintance with her.

"But I reckoned YOU might have known suthin' o' this; though she never
let on you did," he concluded, eying the editor with troubled curiosity.

The editor did not think it necessary to implicate Mr. Hamlin. He said,
briefly, "I? Oh, no!"

"Of course, YOU might not have seen her?" said Mr. Bowers, keeping the
same grave, troubled gaze on the editor.

"Of course not," said the editor, somewhat impatient under the singular
scrutiny of Mr. Bowers; "and I'm very anxious to know how she looks.
Tell me, what is she like?"

"She is a fine, pow'ful, eddicated woman," said Mr. Bowers, with slow
deliberation. "Yes, sir,--a pow'ful woman, havin' grand ideas of her
own, and holdin' to 'em." He had withdrawn his eyes from the editor, and
apparently addressed the ceiling in confidence.

"But what does she look like, Mr. Bowers?" said the editor, smiling.

"Well, sir, she looks--LIKE--IT! Yes,"--with deliberate caution,--"I
should say, just like it."

After a pause, apparently to allow the editor to materialize this
ravishing description, he said, gently, "Are you busy just now?"

"Not very. What can I do for you?"