purpose I myself would
undertake."

He was quite sincere; indeed, his small black eyes shone with that fire
which a pretty woman or an "affair of honor" could alone kindle. The
visitor stared vacantly at him, and said slowly, "And what good is that
goin' to do US?"

"Compel him to--er--perform his promise," said the Colonel, leaning back
in his chair.

"Ketch him doin' it!" she exclaimed scornfully. "No--that ain't wot
we're after. We must make him PAY! Damages--and nothin' short o' THAT."

The Colonel bit his lip. "I suppose," he said gloomily, "you have
documentary evidence--written promises and protestations--er--er
love-letters, in fact?"

"No--nary a letter! Ye see, that's jest it--and that's where YOU come
in. You've got to convince that jury yourself. You've got to show what
it is--tell the whole story your own way. Lord! to a man like you that's
nothin'."

Startling as this admission might have been to any other lawyer,
Starbottle was absolutely relieved by it. The absence of any
mirth-provoking correspondence, and the appeal solely to his own powers
of persuasion, actually struck his fancy. He lightly put aside the
compliment with a wave of his white hand.

"Of course," he said confidently, "there is strongly presumptive and
corroborative evidence? Perhaps you can give me--er--a brief outline of
the affair?"

"Zaidee kin do that straight enough, I reckon," said the woman; "what I
want to know first is, kin you take the case?"

The Colonel did not hesitate; his curiosity was piqued. "I certainly
can. I have no doubt your daughter will put me in possession of
sufficient facts and details--to constitute what we call--er--a brief."

"She kin be brief enough--or long enough--for the matter of that," said
the woman, rising. The Colonel accepted this implied witticism with a
smile.

"And when may I have the pleasure of seeing her?" he asked politely.

"Well, I reckon as soon as I can trot out and call her. She's just
outside, meanderin' in the road--kinder shy, ye know, at first."

She walked to the door. The astounded Colonel nevertheless gallantly
accompanied her as she stepped out into the street and called shrilly,
"You Zaidee!"

A young girl here apparently detached herself from a tree and the
ostentatious perusal of an old election poster, and sauntered down
towards the office door. Like her mother, she was plainly dressed;
unlike her, she had a pale, rather refined face, with a demure mouth