stepped
out of the stage with such a smile that the ardent cow-puncher flushed
and beamed.

"So I went away without telling you goodbye!" he began, not wisely.
"Mrs. Pierce has been circulating war talk about me, you bet!"

The maiden in Jessamine spoke instantly. "Indeed? There was no special
obligation for you to call on me, or her to notice if you didn't."

"Oh!" said Lin, crestfallen. "Yu' sure don't mean that?"

She looked at him, and was compelled to melt. "No, neighbor, I don't
mean it."

"Neighbor!" he exclaimed; and again, "Neighbor," much pleased. "Now it
would sound kind o' pleasant if you'd call me that for a steady thing."

"It would sound kind of odd, Mr. McLean, thank you."

"Blamed if I understand her," cried Lin. "Blamed if I do. But you're
going to understand me sure quick!" He rushed inside the station, spoke
sharply to the agent, and returned in the same tremor of elation that
had pushed him to forwardness with his girl, and with which he seemed
near bursting. "I've been here three days to meet you. There's a letter,
and I expect I know what's in it. Tubercle has got it here." He took
it from the less hasty agent and thrust it in Jessamine's hand. "You
needn't to fear. Please open it; it's good news this time, you bet!"
He watched it in her hand as the boy of eight watches the string of a
Christmas parcel he wishes his father would cut instead of so carefully
untie. "Open it," he urged again. "Keeping me waiting this way!"

"What in the world does all this mean?" cried Jessamine, stopping short
at the first sentence.

"Read," said Lin.

"You've done this!" she exclaimed.

"Read, read!"

So she read, with big eyes. It was an official letter of the railroad,
written by the division superintendent at Edgeford. It hoped Miss
Buckner might feel like taking the position of agent at Separ. If she
was willing to consider this, would she stop over at Edgeford, on her
way east, and talk with the superintendent? In case the duties were more
than she had been accustomed to on the Louisville and Nashville, she
could continue east with the loss of only a day. The superintendent
believed the salary could be arranged satisfactorily. Enclosed please to
find an order for a free ride to Edgeford.

Jessamine turned her wondering eyes on Lin. "You did do this," she
repeated, but this time with extraordinary quietness.

"Yes," said he. "And I am plumb proud of it."

She gave a rich laugh of pleasure and