e were alone together, why you was
actin' so, didn't you? Or did he know it beforehand? I presume likely he
did. Your mother and I seem to have been the only animals left outside
the show tent."

Again there was no answer. When the young lady spoke it was to ask
another question.

"Daddy," she said, not looking at him, but folding and unfolding a bit
of paper on the counter, "are you SURE you mailed that letter I gave you
the morning after--after he went away?"

"What? That letter to John that you gave me to mail? I'm sure as I can
be of anything. I put it right in amongst the bills and checks I had
ready, and when the postman came I gave 'em all to him with my own
hands. Yes, it was mailed all right."

"And no letters--letters for me--came afterwards, which I didn't
receive? You didn't put one in your pocket and forget it?"

"No. I'm sure of that. Why, your mother's cleaned out all my pockets a
dozen times since. She says I use my clothes for wastebaskets, and she
has to empty 'em pretty nigh as often. No, I didn't forget any letter
for you, Gertie. But why? What made you think I might have?"

"Oh, nothing; nothing, Daddy." Then, throwing down the bit of paper and
moving toward the door, "I must go in and see Mother. I have scarcely
seen her all the morning."

"But hold on, Gertie! Don't go. I haven't found out what--Stop! Gertie,
look at me! Why don't you look at me?"

She would not look and she would not stop. The door closed behind her.
Captain Dan threw himself back in the chair. When Mr. Bangs, returning
from his trip after orders, entered the store he found his employer just
where he had left him. Now, however, the expression of high, good humor
was no longer upon the captain's face.

"Well, Cap'n," hailed Nathaniel cheerfully. "Still on deck, I see. What
are you doing; exercising your mind?"

"Humph! What little mind I'VE got has been exercised too blessed much.
It needs rest more'n anything, but it don't seem likely to get a great
deal. Nate, this world reminds me of a worn-out schooner, it's as full
of troubles as that is full of leaks; and you no sooner get one patched
up than another breaks out in a new place. Ah hum! ... What you got
there? The mail, is it? Anything for me?"

There was one letter bearing the captain's name. Nathaniel handed it
to the owner of that name and the latter inspected the envelope and the
postmark.

"From Labe Ginn," he observed. "Nobody else in Scarford that I know