green leaves and which spread abroad an ambrosial odor, which the major
sniffed approvingly as the other set the burden on the desk at his
elbow.

"Majah," said the latter solemnly, "you reck'n Mars' John en Miss
Shirley--"

"Good lord!" said the major, wheeling to the small ormolu clock on the
desk. "It's 'most four o'clock. Haven't you any idea where he's gone?"

"No, suh, less'n he's gwineter look ovah dem walnut trees. Whut Ah's
gwine ter say--yo' reck'n Mars' John en Miss--"

"Walnut trees? Is he going to sell them?"

"Tree man come f'om up Norf' somewhah ter see erbout et yistiddy. Yas,
suh. Yo' reck'n Mars' John en--"

"Nice pot of money tied up in that timber! _He_ saw it right off. You're
a lucky old rascal to have him for a master."

"Hyuh, hyuh!" agreed Uncle Jefferson. "Dam'ry Co'ot er heap bettah dan
drivin' er ol' stage ter de deepo fer drummahs en lightnin'-rod agents.
Ah sho' do pray de Good Man ter mek Mars' John happy," he added soberly,
"but Ah's mought'ly 'sturbed in mah mind--mought'ly 'sturbed!"

The hidden watcher waited motionless. From where he stood he could look
through the rear window. He waited till he saw the negro's bent figure
disappear into the kitchens. Then he noiselessly lifted himself upright,
and resting the pistol on the screen-top, took deliberate aim and
pulled the trigger.

The hammer clicked sharply on the worthless thirty-year old cartridge,
and the major sprang around with an exclamation, as with an oath, the
other dashed the screen aside and again pulled the trigger.

"You infernal murderer!" cried the major. It was all he said, for, as he
swung his chair up, the one-time bully of Hell's-Half-Acre rushed in and
struck him a single sledge-hammer blow with the clubbed pistol. It fell
full on the major's temple, and the heavy iron crashed through.

Greef King stood an instant breathing hard, then, without withdrawing
his eyes from the prostrate form, his hand groped for the cold goblet
and lifting it to his lips he drained it to its dregs. "There!" he
said. "There's my six-years' debt paid in full, ye lily-livered,
fancy-weskited hellion! Take that from the mayor of the Dome!"

There was a man's step on the gravel and the sudden bark of a dog. The
pistol fell from his hand. He stole on tiptoe along the corridor and
leaped through the French window. As he dashed across the lawn, a
startled cry came from the house behind him.

No human eye had seen him, but he ha