an flaunt round in white muslins and China silks at ten
dollars a yard, paid for by his murderer."

"You know black's yo' color always,--taking in your height and
complexion, Jule," said Miss Sally demurely, yet not without a feminine
consciousness that it really did set off her cousin's graceful figure to
perfection. "But you can't keep up this gait always. You know some day
you might come upon this Mr. Corbin."

"He'd better not cross my path," she said passionately.

"I've heard girls talk like that about a man and then get just green
and yellow after him," said Miss Sally critically. "But goodness me!
speaking of meeting people reminds me I clean forgot to stop at the
stage office and see about bringing over the new overseer. Lucky I met
you, Jule! Good-by, dear. Come in to-night, and we'll all go to the
party together." And with a little nod she ran off before her
indignant cousin could frame a suitably crushing reply to her Parthian
insinuation.

But at the stage office Miss Sally only wrote a few lines on a card, put
it in an envelope, which she addressed to Mr. Joseph Corbin, and then
seating herself with easy carelessness on a long packing-box, languidly
summoned the proprietor.

"You're always on hand yourself at Kirby station when the kyars come in
to bring passengers to Pineville, Mr. Sledge?"

"Yes, Miss."

"Yo' haven't brought any strangers over lately?"

"Well, last week Squire Farnham of Green Ridge--if he kin be called a
stranger--as used to live in the very house yo father"--

"Yes, I know," said Miss Sally, impatiently, "but if an ENTIRE stranger
comes to take a seat for Pineville, you ask him if that's his name,"
handing the letter, "and give it to him if it is. And--Mr. Sledge--it's
nobody's business but--yours and mine."

"I understand, Miss Sally," with a slow, paternal, tolerating wink.
"He'll get it, and nobody else, sure."

"Thank you; I hope Mrs. Sledge is getting round again."

"Pow'fully, Miss Sally."

Having thus, as she hoped, stopped the arrival of the unhappy Corbin,
Miss Sally returned home to consider the best means of finally disposing
of him. She had insisted upon his stopping at Kirby and holding no
communication with the Jeffcourts until he heard from her, and had
strongly pointed out the hopeless infelicity of his plan. She dare
not tell her Aunt Miranda, knowing that she would be too happy to
precipitate an interview that would terminate disastrously to both
the