know--Ah! hum. I suppose you don't but, if he--HE--poisons this
atmosphere--I will bid you good morning."

He was turning away in a far more furious mood than had seemed
possible to so easy-going a man, and his hostess hastily laid a
detaining hand upon his arm.

"My dear sir, what have I said? Do you know this doctor and dislike
him? I'm sorry. Forget him, then, please and just enjoy this wonderful
air which nobody could possibly 'poison.' It's perfect to-day, with
just enough crispness in it to remind us it is really autumn and our
picnicking days are numbered. The young folks have felt it dull,
sometimes, lingering so long in the Copse, but it's been a restful,
happy time to me. One has to get away from home worries once in a
while to keep things in their right proportion. And, after all, what
does it matter where we live or what we have so long as there is peace
and good will in one's heart? Not much, do you think?"

Aunt Betty was herself in happy mood and had talked on more to prevent
the guest's departure than to "preach," as she called such little
dissertations. She had gained her point. The Colonel settled back
again in the familiar chair he had appropriated on his first visit and
gradually the lines of anger left his face. An expression of intense
sadness took their place, and after a moment he sighed:

"Ah! hum. I hadn't a right to get huffy. I reckon you don't know--some
facts. You couldn't. Nobody could, without explainin' an' I cayn't
explain. This much I'll say. I haven't set foot in this yeah region
sence--in a right smart while. I never meant to again. But--I lost my
wallet an' I came to seek it. I've cause to think, Madam, 't one your
folks has it. If so, they must deliver real soon. To me it's vallyble.
Also, it might concern Miss Dorothy. She an' me--an' you, of course,
Mrs. Calvert, bein' a Calvert--Well, it's an old story an' I'll wait
till after dinner, thank ye, ma'am. And if you don't mind, I'll just
lean back an' take my 'forty winks.' I hain't rested none too well,
lately. I've been _thinkin'_. Ah! hum. A man's no right to think. He
cayn't an' be real comf'table. Beg pahdon."

Aunt Betty watched him, smiling. He was a bore who, at times, was
amusing. She knew that he had been well educated and had still a
fondness for books, as was proved by his habitual use of "Marcus
Aurelius;" but like many other cultured southern people he lapsed into
the speech of the colored folks, with whom his li