long interval, and some tears shed by Miss Sophy, who was equally conscious of more or less aberration of her own magnetic instincts during his absence, I think will be self-evident to the largely comprehending reader. Howbeit, at the end of ten tender yet tranquillizing minutes Mr. Hamlin remarked in low, thrilling tones: "By the aid of a few confiding friends and playin' it rather low on them I got that note to the Conroy girl, but the game's up and we might as well pass in our checks now, if she goes back on us, and passes out, which I reckon's her little game. If what you say is true, Sophy, and you do sometimes look back to the past, and things is generally on the square, you'll go for that Olly and fetch her. For if I go back without that child and throw up my hand it's just tampering with the holiest affections and playing it mighty rough on as white a man as ever you saw, Sophy, to say nothing of your reputation, and everybody ready to buck agin us who has ten cents to chip in on. You must make her go back with me and put things on a specie basis!"
In spite of the mixed character of Mr. Hamlin's metaphor, his eloquence was so convincing and effective that Miss Sophy at once proceeded with considerable indignation to insist upon Olly's withdrawing her refusal. "If this is the way you're going to act, you horrid little thing! after all that me and him's trusted you, I'd like to see the girl in school that will ever tell you anything again, that's all!" a threat so appalling that Olly, who did not stop to consider that this confidence was very recent and had been forced upon her, assented without further delay, exhibited Gabriel's note to Madam Eclair, and having received that lady's gracious permission to visit her brother, was in half an hour in company with Mr. Hamlin on the road.
CHAPTER XL.
THE THREE VOICES.
Once free from the trammeling fascinations of Sophy and the more dangerous espionage of Madam Eclair, and with the object of his mission accomplished, Mr. Hamlin recovered his natural spirits, and became so hilarious that Olly, who attributed this exaltation to his interview with Sophy, felt constrained to make some disparaging remarks about that young lady, partly by way of getting even with her for her recent interference, and partly in obedience to some well-known but unexplained law of the sex. To her great surprise, however, Mr. Hamlin's spirits were in no way dampened, nor did he make any attempt to defend his Lalage. Nevertheless, he listened attentively, and when she had concluded, he looked suddenly down upon her chip hat and thick yellow tresses, and said:
"Ever been in the Southern country, Olly?"
"No," returned the child.
"Never down about San Antonio, visiting friends or relations?"
"No," said Olly, decidedly.
Mr. Hamlin was silent for some time, giving his exclusive attention to his horse, who was evincing a disposition to "break" into a gallop. When he had brought the animal back into a trot again, he continued:
"There's a woman! Olly."
"Down in San Antonio?" asked Olly.
Mr. Hamlin nodded.
"Purty?" continued the child.
"It ain't the word," responded Mr. Hamlin seriously. "Purty ain't the word."
"As purty as Sophy?" continued Olly, little mischievously.
"Sophy be—."
Mr. Hamlin here quickly pulled up himself and horse, both being inclined to an exuberance startling to the youth and sex of the third party.
"That is—I mean something in a different suit, entirely."
Here he again hesitated, doubtful of his slang.
"I see," quoth Olly; "diamonds{{—}Sophy's is spades."
The gambler (in sudden and awful admiration): "Diamonds—you've just struck it! but what do you know 'bout cards?"
Olly (pomposamente): "Everything! Tell our fortunes by 'em, we girls! I'm in hearts; Sophy's in spades; you're in clubs! Do you know (in a thrilling whisper), only last night I had a letter, a journey, a death, and a gentleman in clubs—dark complected—that's you."
Mr. Hamlin (a good deal more at ease through this revelation of the universal power of the four suits): "Speakin' of women, I suppose down there [indicating the school] you occasionally hear of angels. What's their general complexion?"
Olly (dubiously): "In the pictures?"
Hamlin: "Yes" (with a leading question)— "sorter dark complected sometimes, hey?"
Olly (positively): "Never!—always white!"
