"'The cousin slanders us,' said I. "'She does not,' said Nora. "'And how can I prove it?' said I. "'Yez might make love ter me,' she said "'I'm too old, Nora,' I answered. "'Couldn't yez wait and let me tell yez thet?' she asked. "'I'd rether own it then ter hev yo' tell me,' I answered. "'O, it's makin' fun of me yez are,' said she. 'I know how far away yez are from the loikes of me and will forgit me to-morry, but I'm glad yez come, for it gave me a breath of the joy of the great world outside. Here hearts be breaking continually, for our lives are narrowed down to a mere fight for food. It's jist slavery from the cradle ter ther grave, and slavery over which there shines no star of hope.' "Jest then ther mother called us to breakfast. After breakfast I went ter my room and put ten L10 notes in a envelope, wrote a line thet it war to take the whole family ter America; told 'em ter go ter Texas, and find the old neighbors, given' 'em a lot 'o names; told 'em not ter stay a minit in ther cities; then went out and handin' Nora the letter ez I bid her good-bye, told her it war a real love letter, shore nuff, which she must not read till I war out o' sight; thet she might give me ther answer when I cum back, and then I started straight for England. "I kep thinkin' all thet day, it war sich a girl as thet who after awhile become the mother of Pat Cleburne or may be Phil Sheridan." A moment later he looked up and said: "But I wanted ter see yo', Jim, to tell yo' all the boys remember yo', and all allow yo' were the dol-durndest tenderfoot thet ever crossed a hoss or fired a rope or a gun." "Where can we find a quiet place, Jordan?" Sedgwick asked. "I know a boss ranch," said Jordan, "whar we can have a private room and talk all we wanter, only a few steps away." They found it a drinking house with private rooms in the rear. When seated there, Sedgwick soon learned that Jordan had sold everything in Texas--stock and land--and had converted all into money in bank--some $35,000--and was, to use his own words, "makin' a tower." "But how came yo' here, Jim?" asked Jordan. Then Sedgwick told him of his life since the day he left Texas; how he formed a friendship for Browning; how the deal in stocks originated, and how it resulted. The Texan went into raptures. "Yo' don't tell me?" he said: "Half a milliun! dod rot it, but thet's good; thet's immense! how it would tickle ther boys out thar to know it! And yo' give the ole man a cool $100,000? What did they think of yo' then? Har, waiter, give us a quart of y'r--whatyer call it? O, yes, Widder Clicko (Cliquot); durned if we don't sellerbrate." They drank their wine, lighted their cigars, and settled down for a talk. All the old times in Texas had been discussed when Sedgwick said: "Jordan, I thought you were prosperous and happy, and much loved by all who knew you in Texas. What possessed you to sell out and leave?"