uld have sold for a single dollar, had
the payment been required in cash. A credit sale could not have served
us in any way; and we were forced to hold on to our depreciated
property--upon which not a single cent could be borrowed.

Never stood I in more need of my Nashville friend; and my appeal,
already made, was promptly responded to--as I expected it would be. On
the third day after my despatch, the answer arrived--with a handsome
enclosure; enough to carry us across the continent, and back again if
need be. We were now ready for the road. We waited only for that other
letter, that was to be the index to our destination.

How we passed our time during that interval of expectation is not worth
describing. We enjoyed the hospitality of the Jackson hotel; and
contrived to escape the _espieglerie_ of its husband-hunting denizens,
by hunting the deer of the surrounding forest. During the whole time,
we went not near our respective "plantations" on Mud Creek. Wingrove
had good reason for being shy of that quarter; and I had no inclination
to trust myself to its souvenirs. Moreover, the hours of the mail-rider
were neither fixed nor regular; and on this account I avoided a
prolonged absence from the post-office.

Six days of this expectancy I endured--six days of alternate hope and
doubt--the latter at times so distressing, that even in the excitement
of the chase I could not procure distraction for my thoughts! More than
once my comrade and I had almost ceased to hope; and half resolved to
launch ourselves on the great prairie ocean--trusting to chance to guide
us to the haven of our hopes. On the sixth day we had determined upon
it; and only awaited the mail, that should arrive on the morning of the
seventh. The seventh proved the day of joy. Our doubts were dispelled.
The cloud that hung over our course was cleared away, by the arrival of
the expected epistle! My fingers trembled as I took the precious billet
from the hands of the postmaster. He must have observed my emotion--
though I did not open the letter in his presence. The superscription
was enough to tell me from whom it came. I had studied the fac-simile
of that pretty cipher, till it was well impressed upon my memory; and
could therefore recognise it at a glance. I did not even break open the
envelope till we were upon the road. The post-mark, "_Van Buren,
Arkansas_," sufficiently indicated the direction we were to take; and
not, till we ha