d it
sheepishly.

"Lord, no!" he exclaimed in confusion. "I mean the crime--not the cap.
Well, I guess I'll be goin'. School's goin' to take up, I reckon. See
you later, Miss Banks." He restored his cap to its accustomed place and
was starting toward the door, a trifle dazed and bewildered.

"What is it that you wish to find out, Mr. Crow?" she suddenly called to
him. He halted and faced about so quickly that his reply came like a
shot out of a gun.

"I'm on the lookout fer a girl--an' she'll be's rich's Crowses if I c'n
only find 'er. I dassent tell 'er name jest now," he went on, slowly
retracing his steps, "'cause I don't want people--er her either, fer
that matter--to git onter my scheme. But you jest wait." He was standing
very close to her now and looking her full in the face. "You're sure you
don't know anythin' 'bout her?"

"Why, how should I know? You've told me nothing."

"You've got purty good clothes fer a common school-teacher," he flung at
her in an aggressive, impertinent tone, but the warm colour that swiftly
rose to her cheeks forced him to recall his words, for he quickly
tempered them with, "Er, at least, that's what all the women folks say."

"Oh, so some one has been talking about my affairs? Some of your
excellent women want to know more about me than--"

"Don't git excited, Miss Banks," he interrupted; "the women ain't got
anythin' to do with it--I mean, it's nothin' to them. I--"

"Mr. Crow," she broke in, "if there is anything you or anybody in
Tinkletown wants to know about me you will have to deduce it for
yourself. I believe that is what you call it--deduce? And now good-bye,
Mr. Crow. Recess is over," she said pointedly; and Mr. Crow shuffled out
as the children galloped in.

That evening Ed Higgins and 'Rast Little came to call, but she excused
herself because of her correspondence. In her little upstairs room she
wrote letter after letter, one in particular being voluminous. Mrs.
Holabird, as she passed her door, distinctly heard her laugh aloud. It
was a point to be recalled afterward with no little consideration. Later
she went downstairs, cloaked warmly, for a walk to the post-office. Ed
Higgins was still in the parlour talking to the family. He hastily put
in his petition to accompany her, and it was granted absently. Then he
surreptitiously and triumphantly glanced through the window, the scene
outside pleasing him audibly. 'Rast was standing at the front gate
talking to An