every cent he had
tryin' to pacify her."

"And he was rich?" Cahews thrust in, tentatively.

"Well, you'd think so," smiled Wrinkle. "He not only had the finest
plantation an' house in this county, but he held bank stocks, railroad
bonds, warehouses, cotton-factory interests, an' what not."

"And does--does Hettie intend to--to come back _here_?" Henley asked, a
flush of odd embarrassment on his face.

"Well, that's another matter," Wrinkle began, and then he broke off
abruptly: "Say, Alf, I've got something private to talk to you about.
Jim, I wish you'd give that hoss a bucket of water. I think he's dry."

With a knowing laugh the clerk turned away, and Wrinkle caught Henley's
suspender and gave it a familiar tug. "I didn't want to discuss family
affairs before a third party," he explained. "The truth is, Alf, I've
always been interested in yore little ups an' downs with Het, an' right
now I'm curious to see how prosperity will affect her. Up to now, you
see, she was dependent on you for funds, an' sorter had to go slow on
some o' her fancies, but now the shoe is on t'other foot, an'--"

"That is not answering the question I asked," Henley broke in, quite out
of patience. "I asked you if she intended to--"

"I knowed what you axed me, an' I intend to answer at the proper time
an' place," Wrinkle went on, quite unruffled by the reproof. "I never
begin to unravel a sock at the top or the middle. The toe is whar the
work begun, and therefore the toe is the only natural an' sensible place
to--"

"You make me tired!" Henley retorted, impatiently. "You take all day to
tell a thing."

"Well, if it won't hurt yore pride I'll tell you what I think is her
little game." Wrinkle smiled unctuously and rubbed his hands together.
"She left here when that little tiff was on with you about a buggy-ride
or two that was hangin' fire because you couldn't spare the time, an' I
think her present object is to make you do some knucklin' down. You see,
Alf, she's a fine lady now, an' a big heiress, an' naturally is now a
woman to be treated with respect by you or me or anybody else. She's the
head o' that whole thing over there, an' you'll have to fall in line
with the rest of us. She's in deep mournin', an' considerably overcome,
but she hain't forgot them buggy-rides. She's brought 'em up a dozen
times, an' always with a sniff an' a sneer. She sent me over to git all
our leavin's in shape for shipment, an' she's goin' to send a wa