Kate abruptly turned her face aside, hid it in her parasol, and thanked herself that she had no little sister or niece, to be always observing her--and so exasperatingly correctly, too! At that moment her brother joined her, and asked Trixy if she would give his card, on which he had pencilled a line or two, to her Aunt Fee. This reminded Trixy that she had been sent for the mail, so she danced off in the direction of the office, while Harry and Kate walked to and fro, and talked of everything but what was uppermost in their minds. Trixy found additional causes of detention. The mail was late, and a throng of people were at the desk awaiting the distribution, so Trixy went to the front door to look at the flowers which colored people brought every morning to sell to the guests. Then she strolled toward the fort, to look at an old colored beggar, whose raggedness was so picturesque that it fascinated her. As she stood staring at him, a servant from the fort accosted her with, "Little girl, you know Adm'ral All'son, don't you?--the old gen'leman that bosses all you young ones when you digs sand-wells?" "Of course I do; he's one of my best friends." "Well, I've got lots to do this mornin', an' I don't see how I'm goin' to git through. Don't you want to give this letter to him for me?" "Certainly." "You won't forgit it, will you?" "Oh, no; I'm not of the forgettin' kind." And Trixy took the letter, forgetting for the moment that the Admiral had gone to Washington. Then she hurried back to the hotel, got the mail, and went into her mother's room, saying: "Let me open the letters for you, won't you, like papa does?" "Yes, but do it quickly," said Trif, first selecting one from her husband, which she quickly read and re-read. Then she took the others, after Trixy had cut the ends of the envelopes, and glanced over them, commenting as she read: "H'm--nothing unusual. Mrs. Poynce's cards, the Misses Brimling's tea, on Thursday next--I shall be sorry to miss it; invitation to a spring opening, and--oh!" Trif fell back in her chair, as if in a faint. Fenie hurried to her, exclaiming: "Trif, dear! What is the matter? Speak to me, quick!" "That letter! That awful letter that I began for Trixy! Here it is!" "Dear me! Where could it have come from?" "I can't imagine. Why--the envelope is addressed to Admiral Allison! How could it have got among our letters?" "Oh," said Trixy, as excited as anyone, "a man gave me the letter, a few minutes ago, to give to the Admiral, and I forgot all about it, and I've gone and cut the end of it, with the others!" "But who can it have come from?" persisted Trif, looking into the envelope. "There is nothing else with it, and some one had drawn pictures on blank parts of the sheets." "He must have lent it to someone, who is returning it to him," suggested Fenie. "I've always supposed naval officers the soul of honor?" sighed Trif.