dy.
(Aloud.) I thank you, colonel.

Starbattle. Ged, ma'am, I am repaid doubly. Your conduct, Miss Mary,
reminds me of little incident that occurred at Richmond, in '58. Dinner
party--came early--but obliged to go--as now--on important business,
before dessert--before dessert. Lady sat next to me--beautiful
woman--excuse me if I don't mention names--said to me, "Star,"--always
called me Star,--"Star, you remind me of the month of May."--"Ged,
madam,"--I said, "delighted, proud; but why?"--"Because," she said, "you
come in with the--er--oysters."--No! Ged, pardon me--ridiculous
mistake! I mean--er--"you come in with the--er--flowers, and go before
the--er--fruits."

Miss Mary. Ah, colonel! I appreciate her disappointment. Let us hope,
however, that some day you may find that happy woman who will be able to
keep you through the whole dinner and the whole season, until December
and the ices!

Starbottle. Ged! excellent! Capital! (seriously.) Miss Mary! (Suddenly
inflating his chest, striking attitude, and gazing on MISS MARY with
languishing eyes.) There is--er such a woman!

Miss Mary (aside). What can he mean?

Starbottle (taking seat beside her). Allow me, Miss Mary, a few moments
of confidential--er--confidential disclosure. To-day is, as you are
aware--the day on which, according to--er--agreement between parties, my
friend and client, Mr. Morton, sen.,--formally accepts his prodigal son.
It is my--er--duty to state that--er--the gentleman who has for the
past year occupied that position has behaved with great discretion,
and--er--fulfilled his part of the--er--agreement. But it
would--er--appear that there has been a--er--slight delusion regarding
the identity of that prodigal,--a delusion shared by all the parties
except, perhaps, myself. I have to prepare you for a shock. The
gentleman whom you have recently known as Alexander Morton, jun., is not
the prodigal son; is not your--er--cousin; is, in fact, no relation to
you. Prepare yourself, Miss Mary, for a little disappointment,--for--
er--degradation. The genuine son has been--er--discovered in the person
of--er--low menial--or--vagabond,--"Sandy," the--er--outcast of Red Gulch!

Miss Mary (rising in astonishment). Sandy! Then he was right. (Aside.)
The child is his! and that woman--

Starbottle. Compose yourself, Miss Mary. I know the--er--effect
of--er--revelation like this upon--er--proud and aristocratic nature.
Ged! My own, I assure you, beats in--er