There was a small table beside him. He opened the bag and turned the contents out upon this, then began to sort them. No one--it was a Gilead Balm way--claimed letter or paper until the Colonel had made as many little heaps as there were individuals and had placed every jot and tittle of mail accruing, ending by shaking out the empty bag. He did all this to-day. Captain Bob had only a county paper--no letters for Old Miss--a good deal of forwarded mail for Mrs. LeGrand--the Colonel's own--letters and papers for Hagar. The Colonel handled each piece, glanced at the superscription, put it in the proper heap. He shook out the bag; then, gathering up Mrs. LeGrand's mail, gave it to her with a smile and a small courtly bow. Miss Serena rose, work in hand, and took hers from the table. Lisa walked gravely up, then returned to Captain Bob with the county paper in her mouth. The Colonel's shrunken long fingers took up Hagar's rather large amount and held it out to her. "Here, Gipsy"--the last time for many a day that he called her Gipsy. A letter slipped from the packet to the floor. Bending, the Colonel picked it up, and in doing so for the first time regarded the printing on the upper left-hand corner--_Return in five days to the ---- Equal Suffrage League_. The envelope turned in his hand. On its reverse, across the flap, was boldly stamped--VOTES FOR WOMEN. Colonel Argall Ashendyne straightened himself with a jerk. "Hagar!--What is that? How do you happen to get letters like that?--Answer!" His granddaughter, who had risen to take her mail, regarded first the letter and then the Colonel with some astonishment. "What do you mean, grandfather? The letter's from my friend, Elizabeth Eden. I wonder if you don't remember her, that summer long ago at the New Springs?" The Colonel's forefinger stabbed the three words on the back of the envelope. "You don't have friends and correspondents who are working for _that_?" "Why not? I propose presently actively to work for it myself." Apoplectic silence on the part of the Colonel. The suddenly arisen storm darted an electric feeler from one to the other upon the porch. "What's the matter?" demanded Captain Bob. "Something's the matter!" Old Miss, who had not clearly caught the Colonel's words, yet felt the tension and put in an authoritative foot. "What have you done now, Hagar? Who's been writing to you? What is it, Colonel?" Ralph, in his riding-clothes, coming through the hall from the back where he had just dismounted, felt the sultry hush. "What's happened? What's the matter, Hagar?" "Get me a glass of water, Serena!" breathed the Colonel. He still held the letter. "My dear friend, let me fan you!" exclaimed Mrs. LeGrand, and moved to where she could see the offending epistle. "VOTES FOR--oh, Hagar, you surely aren't one of _those_ women!"