"O' course, my soul ain't all it should be--a bit stained here an' there, p'raps--a bit th' worse for wear, Mr. Geoffrey, but Hermy's--well, there, I guess it's jest as sweet as a flower still, an' white--as white as that tablecloth. An' talkin' about her soul--what about her body, Mr. Geoffrey?" Ravenslee started. "Her body?" said he, staring. "Well, since you ask, I should say it is like her soul--very sweet and white and--" "Sure!" nodded Mrs. Trapes, "but, bein' only flesh an' blood after all--bein' only miserable clay like yours an' mine, Mr. Geoffrey, it'll always need food t' nourish it, clo'es t' keep it warm, an' a roof t' shelter it. Well, if she was t' be s' mad as t' marry a peanut man, what about food an' clo'es an' a roof?" "I think they could be managed, Mrs. Trapes." "What--out o' peanuts?" "No--er--the fact is, I've given 'em up." Mrs. Trapes sniffed. "Y' don't say!" she remarked drily. "Think o' that, now!" "The fact is, Mrs. Trapes, I--well, suppose I were to confess to you that I'm not quite so poor as I seem--what should you say?" "Why, I should say as I knew that about three weeks ago, Mr. Geoffrey." "Oh, did you?" said Ravenslee, staring. "How in the world did you find out?" "Why, Mr. Geoffrey, I'll tell ye how. I got eyes an' I got ears, an' sometimes I can see a bit with my eyes an' hear with my ears--that's how! Oh, I've watched ye, Mr. Geoffrey--I've watched ye careful because--well, because I sure love Hermy, an' 't would jest break my 'eart t' see her fallin' in love with a rogue!" "So you think--that she is--falling in love, then?" enquired Ravenslee slowly. "Well, Hermy's Hermy, an' she's wrote you two letters to my knowin'--" "No, only one, Mrs. Trapes." "Now Hermy ain't the kind o' girl t' write twice to a man unless--" "But she has only written me one letter, Mrs. Trapes--the one she left with you last week." "Oh, well--here's the other!" said Mrs. Trapes, laying before him an envelope addressed in the handwriting he had come to know so well. "Why didn't you give it to me before?" he enquired. "Her orders, Mr. Geoffrey." "Orders?" "Orders!" nodded Mrs. Trapes. "She come in here last night an' give it me after you was gone t' bed. 'Ann dear,' she says, 'don't let him have it till half after ten t' morrer,' she says. An' it's nearly eleven now--so there's y'r letter!" "But," said Ravenslee, "why on earth--" "P'raps th' letter'll tell you, Mr. Geoffrey; s'pose you read it while I clear away your breakfast things!" Hereupon Ravenslee opened the letter and read these words: My dear,