old Aunt Josephine of yours to shake hands, he shook 'em
all right, but he took thirty dollars away as a little set-off for his
pious docility."

"Oh!" she murmured, overwhelmed with astonishment. Then she broke into
one of her delicious peals of laughter.

"Anybody," I said, "likes a boy who plays a hand--and a fist--to that
tune." I continued to say a number of commendatory words about young
John, while her sparkling eyes rested upon me. But even as I talked I
grew aware that these eyes were not sparkling, were starry rather,
and distant, and that she was not hearing what I said; so I stopped
abruptly, and at the stopping she spoke, like a person waking up.

"Oh, yes! Certainly he can take care of himself. Why not?"

"Rather creditable, don't you think?"

"Creditable?"

"Considering his aunts and everything."

She became haughty on the instant. "Upon my word! And do you suppose
the women of South Carolina don't wish their men to be men? Why"--she
returned to mirth and that arch mockery which was her special charm--"we
South Carolina women consider virtue our business, and we don't expect
the men to meddle with it!"

"Primal, perpetual, necessary!" I cried. "When that division gets
blurred, society is doomed. Are you sure John can take care of himself
every way?"

"I have other things than Mr. Mayrant to think about." She said this
quite sharply.

It surprised me. "To be sure," I assented. "But didn't you once tell me
that you thought he was simple?"

She opened her ledger. "It's a great honor to have one's words so well
remembered."

I was still at a loss. "Anyhow, the wedding is postponed," I continued;
"and the cake. Of course one can't help wondering how it's all coming
out."

She was now working at her ledger, bending her head over it. "Have
you ever met Miss Rieppe?" She inquired this with a sort of wonderful
softness--which I was to hear again upon a still more memorable
occasion.

"Never," I answered, "but there's nobody at present living whom I long
to see so much."

She wrote on for a little while before saying, with her pencil steadily
busy, "Why?"

"Why? Don't you? After all this fuss?"

"Oh, certainly," she drawled. "She is so much admired--by Northerners."

"I do hope John is able to take care of himself," I purposely repeated.

"Take care of yourself!" she laughed angrily over her ledger.

"Me? Why? I understand you less and less!"

"Very likely."

"Why, I want to help him