experiments and 'squirms,' as he calls them. Then
when the time comes we shall see--we shall see."

"Yes," answered Father, dropping his head with the corner of his mouth
screwed up. "Yes, we shall see!"

And as he said it, somehow I felt that the Byrd family would never any
more be unlooked after, and that it was good to have such a man as
Father for a father and a neighbor. And, Oh, I felt--I can't write it,
I am so tired I will have to go to sleep with a "Thank God," as big as
can come from a heart the size mine is--which feels bigger to-night
than it ever did before. Good-night, Louise of leather!

* * * * *

The quadratics were awful! I got ninety-five by a lot of it being luck
that I knew the questions, and Tony got eighty by the same process, he
says; but Belle and Pink just squeezed through by the skin of their
teeth. Sam didn't pass and neither did the tallest Willis. The other
one got seventy and the right to take another examination. Cruelty to
children like that kind of examination ought to be stopped by law.

And that is the reason I haven't written in this leather confidante
after that Saturday, into which at least four years of my life were
crowded. By the calendar I am still just sixteen, but I am twenty by
actual count.

First--Father is a Raccoon in full standing, and is going to be Scout
Master for a little troop just the minute Lovelace Peyton gets old
enough to organize one. And other honors have come to him like--but I
must put things down in an orderly fashion for Father as he has bought
you on a book, Louise.

Miss Priscilla is going to marry the Colonel. The secret of the why of
her not doing it before is out. I have always felt that Miss Priscilla
was honorable and not cruel. The Colonel had never asked her before,
and it seems that the Stockell pride is very like the Byrd pride. He
lost his fortune during the war and she is rich. His honor forbade!
But Father has got him to go on a board of directors of the Cumberland
Coal and Iron Company. Father says to give tone to directors'
meetings, but that reason is not to be mentioned. He gets a salary of
fifteen hundred dollars and is willing to marry on that, as Miss
Priscilla insists on it. He told me all about it and so did she.

Tony, also, was in the confidence of both for these last few days
which was a great comfort, as he is always so full of plans to
accomplish things. In fact, it was Tony that made Miss Pris