Nancy Ellen was on her feet and nearer to the door; she stepped to it, and took the letters, giving them a hasty glance as she handed them to Kate.
"Two," she said tersely.

"One, with the address written in the clear, bold hand of a gentleman, and one, the straggle of a country clod-hopper." Kate smiled as she took the letters: "I'll wager my hat, which is my most precious possession," she said, "that the one with the beautifully written address comes from the 'clod-hopper,' and the 'straggle' from the 'gentleman.'" She glanced at the stamping and addresses and smiled again: "So it proves," she said.

"While I'm about it, I'll see what the 'clod-hopper' has to say, and then I shall be free to give my whole attention to the 'gentleman.'" "Oh, Kate, how can you!" cried Nancy Ellen.
"Way I'm made, I 'spect," said Kate.

"Anyway, that's the way this is going to be done." She dropped the big square letter in her lap and ran her finger under the flap of the long, thin, beautifully addressed envelope, and drew forth several quite as perfectly written sheets.

She read them slowly and deliberately, sometimes turning back a page and going over a part of it again.