Uncle Jerry Honeycutt is now ninety-four, and he has a splendid new ear-trumpet--he will be rarely diverting for Miss Lansdale." But the daughter remained as indifferent to taunts as she had been to my friendly advances.

It occurred to me now that her self-possession was remarkable.

It was little short of threatening if one regarded her too closely.

I wondered if this could really be an inheritance from her well-nerved father or the result of her years as teacher in a finishing school for young ladies.

I was tempted to suspect the latter, for, physically, the creature was by no means formidable.