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mechanical　clasp…knife　he　produced　from　his　pocket；　and　the　aid　of

his　workmanlike　thumb　and　finger。　　Presently　he　began　to　whistle

softly；　at　first　a　little　artificially　and　with　relapses　of

reflective　silence。　　The　lock　of　the　desk　restored；　he　secured　into

position　again　that　part　of　the　door…lock　which　he　had　burst　off　in

his　entrance。　　This　done；　he　closed　the　door　gently　and　once　more

stepped　out　into　the　moonlit　clearing。　　In　replacing　his　knife　in

his　pocket　he　took　out　the　letters　which　he　had　not　touched　since

they　were　handed　to　him　in　the　darkness。　　His　first　glance　at　the

handwriting　caused　him　to　stop。　　Then　still　staring　at　it；　he　began

to　move　slowly　and　automatically　backwards　to　the　porch。　　When　he

reached　it　he　sat　down；　unfolded　the　letter；　and　without　attempting

to　read　it；　turned　its　pages　over　and　over　with　the　unfamiliarity

of　an　illiterate　man　in　search　of　the　signature。　　This　when　found

apparently　plunged　him　again　into　motionless　abstraction。　　Only

once　he　changed　his　position　to　pull　up　the　legs　of　his　trousers；

open　his　knees；　and　extend　the　distance　between　his　feet；　and　then

with　the　unfolded　pages　carefully　laid　in　the　moonlit　space　thus

opened　before　him；　regarded　them　with　dubious　speculation。　　At　the

end　of　ten　minutes　he　rose　with　a　sigh　of　physical　and　mental

relaxation；　refolded　the　letter；　put　it　in　his　pocket；　and　made　his

way　to　the　town。



When　he　reached　the　hotel　he　turned　into　the　bar…room；　and

observing　that　it　happened　to　be　comparatively　deserted；　asked　for

a　glass　of　whiskey。　　In　response　to　the　barkeeper's　glance　of

curiosityas　Uncle　Ben　seldom　drank；　and　then　only　as　a　social

function　with　othershe　explained：



〃I　reckon　straight　whiskey　is　about　ez　good　ez　the　next　thing　for

blind　chills。〃



The　bar…keeper　here　interposed　that　in　his　larger　medical

experience　he　had　found　the　exhibition　of　ginger　in　combination

with　gin　attended　with　effect；　although　it　was　evident　that　in　his

business　capacity　he　regarded　Uncle　Ben；　as　a　drinker；　with

distrust。



〃Ye　ain't　seen　Mr。　Ford　hanging　round　yer　lately？〃　continued　Uncle

Ben　with　laborious　ease。



The　bar…keeper；　with　his　eye　still　scornfully　fixed　on　his

customer；　but　his　hands　which　were　engaged　in　washing　his　glasses

under　the　counter　giving　him　the　air　of　humorously　communicating

with　a　hidden　confederate；　had　not　seen　the　school…master　that

afternoon。



Uncle　Ben　turned　away　and　slowly　mounted　the　staircase　to　the

master's　room。　　After　a　moment's　pause　on　the　landing；　which　must

have　been　painfully　obvious　to　any　one　who　heard　his　heavy　ascent；

he　gave　two　timid　raps　on　the　door　which　were　equally　ridiculous　in

contrast　with　his　powerful　tread。　　The　door　was　opened　promptly　by

the　master。



〃Oh；　it's　you；　is　it？〃　he　said　shortly。　　〃Come　in。〃



Uncle　Ben　entered　without　noticing　the　somewhat　ungracious　form　of

invitation。　　〃It　war　me；〃　he　said；　〃dropped　in；　not　finding　ye

downstairs。　　Let's　have　a　drink。〃



The　master　gazed　at　Uncle　Ben；　who；　owing　to　his　abstraction；　had

not　yet　wiped　his　mouth　of　the　liquor　he　had　imperfectly　swallowed；

and　was　in　consequence　more　redolent　of　whiskey　than　a　confirmed

toper。　　He　rang　the　bell　for　the　desired　refreshment　with　a

slightly　cynical　smile。　　He　was　satisfied　that　his　visitor；　like

many　others　of　humble　position；　was　succumbing　to　his　good　fortune。



〃I　wanted　to　see　ye；　Mr。　Ford；〃　he　began；　taking　an　unproffered

chair　and　depositing　his　hat　after　some　hesitation　outside　the

door；　〃in　regard　to　what　I　onct　told　ye　about　my　wife　in　Mizzouri。

P'r'aps　you　disremember？〃



〃I　remember；〃　returned　the　master　resignedly。



〃You　know　it　was　that　arternoon　that　fool　Stacey　sent　the　sheriff

and　the　Harrisons　over　to　McKinstry's　barn。〃



〃Go　on！〃　petulantly　said　the　master；　who　had　his　own　reasons　for

not　caring　to　recall　it。



〃It　was　that　arternoon；　you　know；　that　you　hadn't　time　to　hark　to

mehevin'　to　go　off　on　an　engagement；〃　continued　Uncle　Ben　with

protracted　deliberation；　〃and〃



〃Yes；　yes；　I　remember；〃　interrupted　the　master　exasperatedly；　〃and

really　unless　you　get　on　faster；　I'll　have　to　leave　you　again。〃



〃It　was　that　arternoon；〃　said　Uncle　Ben　without　heeding　him；　〃when

I　told　you　I　hadn't　any　idea　what　had　become　o'　my　wife　ez　I　left

in　Mizzouri。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　master　sharply；　〃and　I　told　you　it　was　your　bounden

duty　to　look　for　her。〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　Uncle　Ben　nodding　comfortably；　〃them's　your　very

words；　on'y　a　leetle　more　strong　than　that；　ef　I　don't　disremember。

Well；　I　reckon　I've　got　an　idee！〃　　The　master　assumed　a　sudden

expression　of　interest；　but　Uncle　Ben　did　not　vary　his　monotonous

tone。



〃I　kem　across　that　idee；　so　to　speak；　on　the　trail。　　I　kem　across

it　in　some　letters　ez　was　lying　wide　open　in　the　brush。　　I　picked

em　up　and　I've　got　'em　here。〃



He　slowly　took　the　letters　from　his　pocket　with　one　hand；　while　he

dragged　the　chair　on　which　he　was　sitting　beside　the　master。　　But

with　a　quick　flush　of　indignation　Mr。　Ford　rose　and　extended　his

hand。



〃These　are　MY　letters；　Dabney；〃　he　said　sternly；　〃stolen　from　my

desk。　　Who　has　dared　to　do　this？〃



But　Uncle　Ben　had；　as　if　accidentally；　interposed　his　elbow　between

the　master　and　Seth's　spoils。



〃Then　it's　all　right？〃　he　returned　deliberately。　　〃I　brought　'em

here　because　I　thought　they　might　give　an　idee　where　my　wife　was。

For　them　letters　is　in　her　own　handwrite。　　You　remember　ez　I　told

ez　how　she　was　a　scollard。〃



The　master　sat　back　in　his　chair　white　and　dumb。　　Incredible；

extraordinary；　and　utterly　unlooked　for　as　was　this　revelation；　he

felt　instinctively　that　it　was　true。



〃I　couldn't　read　it　myselfez　you　know。　　I　didn't　keer　to　ax　any

one　else　to　read　it　for　meyou　kin　reckon　why；　too。　　And　that's

why　I'm　troublin'　you　to…night；　Mr。　Fordez　a　friend。〃



The　master　with　a　desperate　effort　recovered　his　voice。　　〃It　is

impossible。　　The　lady　who　wrote　those　letters　does　not　bear　your

name。　　More　than　that；〃　he　added　with　hasty　irrelevance；　〃she　is　so

free　that　she　is　about　to　be　married；　as　you　might　have　read。　　You

have　made　a　mistake；　the　handwriting　may　be　like；　but　it　cannot　be

really　your　wife's。〃



Uncle　Ben　shook　his　head　slowly。　　〃It's　her'nthere's　no　mistake。

When　a　man；　Mr。　Ford；　hez　studied　that　handwritehavin'；　so　to

speak；　knowed　it　on'y　from　the　OUTSIDEfrom　seein'　it　passin'　like

between　friendsthat　man's　chances　o'　bein'　mistook　ain't　ez　great

ez　the　man's　who　on'y　takes　in　the　sense　of　the　words　that　might

b'long　to　everybody。　　And　her　name　not　bein'　the　same　ez　mine；

don't　foller。　　Ef　she　got　a　divorce　she'd　take　her　old　gal's　name

the　name　of　her　fammerly。　　And　that　would　seem　to　allow　she　DID　get

a　divorce。　　What　mowt　she　hev　called　herself　when　she　writ　this？〃



The　master　saw　his　opportunity　and　rose　to　it　with　a　chivalrous

indignation；　that　for　the　moment　imposed　even　upon　himself。　　〃I

decline　to　answer　that　question；〃　he　said　angrily。　　〃I　refuse　to

allow　the　name　of　any　woman　who　honors　me　with　her　confidence　to　be

dragged　into　the　infamous　outrage　that　has　been　committed　upon　me

and　common　decency。　　And　I　shall　hold　the　thief　and　scoundrel

whoever　he　may　beanswerable　to　myself　in　the　absence　of　her

natural　protector。〃



Uncle　Ben　surveyed　the　hero　of　these　glittering　generalities　with

undisguised　admiration。　　He　extended　his　hand　to　him　gravely。



〃Shake！　　Ef　another　proof　was　wantin'；　Mr。　Ford；　of　that　bein'　my

wife's　letter；〃　he　said；　〃that　high…toned　style　of　yours　would

settle　it。　　For；　ef　thar　was　one　thing　she　DID　like；　it　was　that

sort　of　po'try。　　And　one　reason　why　her　and　me　didn't　get　on；　and

why　I　skedaddled；　was　because　it　wasn't　in　my　line。　　Et's　all　in

trainin'！　　On'y　a　man　ez　had　the　Fourth　Reader　at　his　fingers'　ends

could　talk　like　that。　　Bein'　brought　up　on　Dobellez　is　nowhere

it　sorter　lets　me　outer　you；　ez　it　did　outer　HER。　　But　allowin'　it

ain't　the　square　thing　for　YOU　to　mention　her　name；　that　wouldn't

be　nothin'　agin'　MY　doin'　it；　and　callin'　her；　wellLou　Price　in　a

keerless　sort　o'　way；　eh？〃



〃I　decline　to　answer　further；〃　replied　the　master　quickly；　although

his　color　had　changed　at　the　name。　　〃I　decline　to　say　another　word

on　the　matter　until　this　mystery　is　cleared　upuntil　I　know　who

dared　to　break　into　my　desk　and　steal　my　property；　and　the　purpose

of　this　unheard…of　outrage。　　And　I　demand　possession　of　those

letters　at　once。〃



Uncle　Ben　without　a　word　put　them　in　the　master's　hand；　to　his

slight　surprise；　and　it　must　be　added　to　his　faint　discomfiture；

nor　was　it　decreased　when　Uncle　Ben　added；　with　grave　naivete　and　a

patronizing　pressure　of　his　hand　on　his　shoulder；〃In　course　ez

you're　taken'　it　on　to　yourself；　and　ez　Lou　Price　ain't　got　no

further　call　on　ME；　they　orter　be　yours。　　Ez　to　who　got　'em　outer

the　desk；　I　reckon　you　ain't　got　no　suspicion　of　any