ive him
the long-wished-for speech with the minister.

"Good-mornin'!" he called, rather crustily, for Coonie affected good
manners before no one, no matter what was his aim. "Will you hand this
bundle to the Missus in there, if you're goin'. It's some o' the fool
truck I've got to lug across the country for weemen."

Mr. Egerton stepped towards the buckboard, and Coonie grinned as he saw
the brilliant polish of his boots disappear in the grey dust of the
road.

"Hope you're likin' Glenoro," he said as he handed out the parcel.

John Egerton met the unaccustomed friendliness of the mail-carrier with
the utmost cordiality. "Oh, yes, very well indeed, thank you!" he
answered, but without the enthusiasm he would have displayed a couple
months previous.

"Awful place for talk," replied Coonie righteously. "Never saw the
likes. If a fellow's ever done anythin' in his life he shouldn't a'
done, cried too much when he was a baby, or anythin' like that, they'll
find it out. S'pose you'll find they're rakin' up all the things you
ever did?"

John Egerton looked at the questioner keenly. He was not sufficiently
acquainted with this queer specimen to be able to answer him according
to his folly; so he said curtly, "I am perfectly willing they should,
Mr. Greene; I never did anything I am ashamed of."

Coonie's face expressed profound astonishment, not unmixed with gentle
reproof. "Is _that_ so? Glad to hear it, sir, glad to hear it." He
shook his head doubtfully as he spoke, and rode away, his shoulders
drooping suspiciously. He was in such good humour that seeing some of
the Hamilton girls on the veranda, he drew in all the breath he was
capable of and bawled, "Say, which o' yous girls is goin' to marry the
minister? I hear you're all after him!"

There was a chorus of smothered shrieks and a sudden vanishing of
whisking skirts within the doorway, and having satisfied himself that
Mr. Egerton must have heard, Coonie swung his whip round old Bella and
clattered up to the post-office in high glee. And Duncan Polite from
his watchtower on the hilltop witnessed his meeting with the minister
and prayed that the young servant of his Master might be speaking to
Coonie of things eternal.

John Egerton returned to his study in deep annoyance. He now realised
certainly that someone was circulating slanderous tales about him,
tales that had caused Jessie Hamilton to avoid him. His thoughts
instantly reverted to Do