Fortunately for him the colonel was too much absorbed in dislodging a _fly_ from the back of his horse to notice his agitation; but he heard the question and replied, “I said Alice Johnson, twentieth cousin of mine—blast that fly!—lives in Massachusetts; splendid girl—hang it all, can’t I hit him?—I was there two years ago. Never saw a girl that made my mouth water as she did. Most too pious, though, to suit me. Wouldn’t read a newspaper Sunday, when that’s the very day I take to read ’em—there, I’ve killed him.” And well satisfied with the achievement, the old colonel put up his whip, never dreaming of the effect that name had produced on Hugh, whose heart gave one great throb of hope, and then grew heavy and sad as he thought how impossible it was that the Alice Johnson the colonel knew, could be the Golden Haired. “There are fifty by that name, no doubt,” he said, “and if there were not, she is dead. But oh, if it could be that she were living, that somewhere I could find her.” There was a mist before Hugh’s vision, and the arm encircling Rocket’s neck clung there now for support, so weak and faint he grew. He dared not question the colonel farther, and was only too glad when the latter came back to their starting point and said, “If I understand you, I can have Rocket for five hundred dollars, provided I let you redeem him within a year. Now that’s equivalent to my lending you five hundred dollars out and out. I see, but seeing it’s you, I reckon I’ll have to do it. As luck will have it, I was going down to Frankfort this very day to put some money in the bank, and if you say so, we’ll clinch the bargain at once;” and taking out his leathern wallet, the colonel began to count the required amount. Alice Johnson was forgotten in that moment of painful indecision, when Hugh felt as if his very life was dying out. “Oh, I can’t let Rocket go,” he thought, bowing his face upon the animal’s graceful neck. Then chiding himself as weak, he lifted up his head and said: “I’ll take the money. Rocket is yours.” The last words were like a smothered sob; and the generous old man hesitated a moment. But Hugh was in earnest. His debts must be paid, and five hundred dollars would do it. “I’ll bring him round to-morrow. Will that be time enough?” he asked, as he rolled up the bills. “Yes,” the colonel replied, while Hugh continued entreatingly, “and, colonel, you’ll be kind to Rocket. He’s never been struck a blow since he was broken to the saddle. He wouldn’t know what it meant.” “Oh, yes, I see—Rarey’s method. Now I never could make that work. Have to lick ’em sometimes, but I’ll remember Rocket. Good day,” and gathering up his reins Col. Tiffton rode slowly away, leaving Hugh in a maze of bewilderment.