foot. He instantly stooped; she placed it in his hand, rose
with a spring, and for one supreme moment Stanislaus Joe held her
unresistingly in his arms. The next moment she was in the saddle; but
in that brief interval of sixty seconds she had uttered a volume in a
single sentence,--

"I hope you will forgive me!"

He muttered a reply, and turned his face aside quickly as if to hide it.

Miss Alice cantered forward with a smile, but pulled her hat down over
her eyes as she joined her mother. She was blushing.

PART III.

Mr. Ryder was as good as his word. A day or two later he entered Mrs.
Rightbody's parlor at the Chrysopolis Hotel in Stockton, with the
information that he had seen the mysterious senders of the despatch, and
that they were now in the office of the hotel waiting her pleasure. Mr.
Ryder further informed her that these gentlemen had only stipulated that
they should not reveal their real names, and that they be introduced to
her simply as the respective "Seventy-Four" and "Seventy-Five" who had
signed the despatch sent to the late Mr. Rightbody.

Mrs. Rightbody at first demurred to this; but, on the assurance from Mr.
Ryder that this was the only condition on which an interview would be
granted, finally consented.

"You will find them square men, even if they are a little rough, ma'am.
But, if you'd like me to be present, I'll stop; though I reckon, if
ye'd calkilated on that, you'd have had me take care o' your business by
proxy, and not come yourself three thousand miles to do it."

Mrs. Rightbody believed it better to see them alone.

"All right, ma'am. I'll hang round out here; and ef ye should happen to
have a ticklin' in your throat, and a bad spell o' coughin', I'll drop
in, careless like, to see if you don't want them drops. Sabe?"

And with an exceedingly arch wink, and a slight familiar tap on Mrs.
Rightbody's shoulder, which might have caused the late Mr. Rightbody to
burst his sepulchre, he withdrew.

A very timid, hesitating tap on the door was followed by the entrance of
two men, both of whom, in general size, strength, and uncouthness,
were ludicrously inconsistent with their diffident announcement.
They proceeded in Indian file to the centre of the room, faced Mrs.
Rightbody, acknowledged her deep courtesy by a strong shake of the hand,
and, drawing two chairs opposite to her, sat down side by side.

"I presume I have the pleasure of addressing--" began Mrs. Rightbody.