“Asa Peters' boy, the bow-legged one, told me. The chauffeur, the feller that pilots the automobiles, asked him where the post-office was and he see the address on the envelope. He said the letter was for you. I told him he was lyin'--” “What in the world did you tell him that for?” I interrupted. I had known Lute a long time, but he sometimes surprised me, even yet. “'Cause he is, nine times out of ten,” replied Lute, promptly. “You never see such a young-one for dodgin' the truth. Why, one time he told his grandmother, Asa's ma, I mean, that--” “What did he say about the letter?” “Said 'twas for you. And the chauffeur said Mr. Colton told him to mail it right off. 'Twan't for you, was it, Ros?” “Yes.” “It WAS! Well, by time! What did a man like Mr. Colton write to you about?” Among his other lackings Lute was conspicuously short of tact. This was no time for him to ask me such a question, especially to emphasize the “you.” “Why shouldn't he write to me?” I asked, tartly. “But--but HIM--writin' to YOU!” “Humph! Even a god stoops once in a while. Read your mythology, Lute.” “Hey? Say, look here, what are you swearin' about?” “Swearing? Oh, that's all right. The god I referred to was a heathen one.” “Well, it's a good thing Dorindy didn't hear you; she's down on swearin', heathen or any other kind. But what did Mr. Colton write to you for?” “He says he wants to see me.” “See you? What for?” “Don't know. Perhaps he wants to borrow money.” “Borrow--! I believe you're crazy!” “No, I'm tolerably sane. There! there! don't look at me like that. Here's his letter. Read it, if you want to.” Lute's fingers were so eager to grasp that letter that they were all thumbs. He dropped it on the grass, picked it up with as much care as if it was a diamond, and holding it a foot from his nose--he had broken his spectacles and was afraid to ask Dorinda for the money to have them repaired--he spelt it out to the last word. “Well, by time!” he exclaimed, when he had finished. “He wants to see you at his house this forenoon! And--and--why, the forenoon's all but gone now! What are you settin' here for?” “Well, I thought I should enjoy watching you rake the yard. It is a pleasure deferred so far.” “Watchin' me--! Roscoe Paine, you are out of your head! Ain't you goin' to see him?” “No.” “You AIN'T!” “No.” “Ros Paine, have you jined in with them darn fools uptown?” “Who's swearing now? What fools do you mean?” “Darn ain't swearin'. Dorindy herself says that once in a while. I mean Alvin Baker, and Jed Dean and the rest of 'em. They was goin' on about Mr. Colton last night; said THEY wan't goin' to run at his beck and call. I told 'em, says I, 'You ain't had the chance. You'll run fast enough when you do.'” “Did you say that to Captain Jed?”