make a clean breast of it. If it's she, why, that altogether alters
the face of things."

He walked the length of the cell and returned. "I give up. You've hit
it. You understand now. I simply can't back away; I couldn't if I
tried."

"Are you in love with the girl?"

"That's just what I want to find out, Chuck. I'm not sure. I've been
thinking of her night and day. I never had any affair; I don't know
what love is. But if it's shaking in your boots at the sound of her
name, if it's getting red in the face when you only just think of
her, if it's having a wild desire to pick her up and run away with
her when you see her, then I've got it. When she stepped out of that
confounded carriage last night, you could have knocked me over with a
paper-wad. Come, let's go out. Hang the hat! Let them all laugh if
they will. It's only a couple of blocks to the hatter's."

He bravely put the white hat on his head, and together we marched out
of the police-office into the street. We entered the nearest hatter's
together. He took what they call a drop-kick out of the hat, sending
it far to the rear of the establishment. I purchased a suitable derby
for him, gave him ten dollars for emergencies, and we parted.

He proceeded to a telegraph office and sent a despatch to a friend up
North, asking him to telegraph him to come at once, taking his
chances of getting a reply. After this he boarded a north-going car,
and was rolled out to Chevy Chase. He had no difficulty in finding
the house of which he was in search. It was a fine example of