at that moment rejoicing that this one was peculiarly his.
As he drove along the quiet Widewood road he was remarking to his
charge:

"I arrove fum Pussy on the six o'clock train. One o' the fus news I get
win' of is that you in town. Well! y'ought to see me!"

But his hearer refused to be flattered. "Wha'd you do--run jump in de
riveh?"

"Jump in--I reckon not! I flew. Y'ought to see me fly to'a'ds you, sweet
lady!"

The maiden laughed. "Law! Mr. Leggett, what a shoo-fly that mus' 'a'
been! Was de conducto' ayfteh you?"

Mr. Leggett smiled undaunted. "My mos' num'ous thanks to yo' serenity,
but I enjoys fum my frien' Presi_dent_ Gamble the propriety of a free
paass ove' his road."

"Oh? does you indeed! _Is_ dat so! Why you makes me proud o' myse'ff.
You hole a free paass on de raailroad, an' yit you countercend to fly to
me!" The manner changed to one of sweet curiosity. "Does you fly jess
with yo' two feet, aw does you comp'ise de assistance o' yo' ears?"

"Why, eh--why, I declah 'pon my soul, you--you es peart es popcawn! You
trebbles me to respond to you with sufficient talk-up-titude."

"Does I? Laws-a-me! I ax yo' pahdon, Mr. Leggett. But I uz bawn sassy. I
ought to be jess ashame' o' myseff, talkin' dat familious to a gen'leman
o' yo' powehs an' 'quaintances. Why you evm knows Mr. Mahch, don't you?"

"Who, me? Me know Johnnie Mahch? Why, my dea'--escuse my smile o'
disdaain--why Johnnie Mahch--why--why, I ra-aise' Johnnie!"

"Why, dee Lawdy! Does you call him Johnnie to his face?"

"Well, eh--not offm--ve'y seldom. 'Caze ef I do that, you know, then,
here, fus' thing, he be a-callin' me C'nelius."

"I think C'nelius sounds sweet'n--" The speaker clapped a hand to her
mouth. "Escuse me! O, Mr. Leggett, _kin_ you escuse me?"

"Escuse you?"--his sidelong glance was ravishing--"yo' beauty mo'n
escuse you."

The maiden dropped her lashes and drew her feet out of her protector's
way. "An' you an' Mr. Mahch is frien's! How nice dat is!"

"Yass, it nice faw him. An' it useful faw me. We in cahoots in dis-yeh
lan' boom. O, yass, me an' him an' Gyarnit an' Gamble, all togetheh like
fo' brethers. I plays the fife, Johnnie beats the drum, Gyarnit wear the
big hat an' flerrish the stick, an' Gamble, he tote the ice-wateh!" The
two laughed so heartily as to swing against each other.

"Escuse me!" said Mr. Leggett, with great fondness of tone.

"You ve'y escusable," coyly replied the damsel. "Mr. Leggett, i