Indiana who would look out for Peter
and be a second father to him and as soon as she had went I
started this epistle. I thot id answer my letters because
its all he can do to write answer my letter because its all
he can do to write to mother and Annabel and dont write to
mother haf often enuf besides id like to hear from you
myself. Sincerely Yore Friend

Maria Klegg.

"M-a-r-i-a-r K-l-e-g-g," gasped Shorty, spelling over the letters, one
at a time, to make sure that his eyes were not making a fool of him.
"And she'd like to hear from me."

And he took off his hat, and fanned his burning face.

CHAPTER VIII. SHORTY WRITES A LETTER TO MARIA KLEGG

AND ENTERS UPON HIS PARENTAL RELATIONS TO LITTLE PETE SKIDMORE.

THE self-sufficient, self-reliant Shorty had never before had anything
to so completely daze him. "Ackchelly a letter from Maria Klegg. Writ
of her own free will and accord. And she wants to hear from me," he
murmured, reading the letter over and over again, and scanning the
envelope as if by intensity of gaze he would wring more from the mute
white paper. The thought was overpowering that it had come directly from
her soft hand; that she had written his name upon it; that her lips had
touched the stamp upon it. He tenderly folded up the letter and replaced
it in the envelope. His thoughts were too tumultuous for him to sit
still. He would walk and calm himself. He wrapped the piece of Maria's
dress around the letter, rose and started off. He had gone but a few
steps when it seemed to him that he had not caught the full meaning of
some of the words in the letter. He sought a secluded place where he
could sit down, unseen by any eyes, and read the letter all over again
several times. Then came the disturbing thought of how he was to care
for and protect the precious missive? He could not bear to part with it
for a single minute, and yet he did not want to carry the sacred thing
around exposed to the dirt and moil of daily camp-life and the danger
of loss. He thought long and earnestly, and at last went down to a large
sutler's store, and purchased the finest morocco wallet from his stock.
Even this did not seem a sufficiently rich casket for such a gem, and he
bought a large red silk bandana, in which he carefully wrapped letter,
dress fragment and wallet, and put them in the pocket of his flannel
shirt, next his breast. Next came the momentous duty of writing an
ans