tly, unable to restrain herself any longer, while a mutter came
from the six little Cavendishes who had been wonderfully silent for
them.

"Sho', Richard Keppel Cavendish, Earl of Lambeth! 'Sho', that was what
he was! Sho'!" and some transient feeling of awe stamped itself upon
their small faces as they viewed the long and limber figure of their
parent.

"Is that mo' than a Colonel?" Yancy risked the question hesitatingly,
but he felt that speech was expected from him.

"Yes," said the possessor of the title.

"Would a General lay it over you any?"

"No, sir, he wouldn't."

Yancy gazed respectfully but uncertainly at Chills and Fever.

"Then all I got to say is that I've traveled considerably, mostly
between Scratch Hill and Balaam's Cross Roads, meeting with all kinds of
folks; but I never seen an earl afo. I take it they are some scarce."

"They are. I don't reckon there's another one but me in the whole United
States."

"Think of that!" gasped Yancy.

"We ain't nothin' fo' style, it bein' my opinion that where a man's a
born gentleman he's got a heap of reason fo' to be grateful but none to
brag," said Cavendish.

"Dick's kind of titles are like having red hair and squint eyes. Once
they get into a family they stick," explained Polly.

"I've noticed that, 'specially about squint eyes." Yancy was glad to
plant his feet on familiar ground.

"These here titles go to the eldest son. He begins by bein' a viscount,"
continued Chills and Fever. He wished Yancy to know the full measure of
their splendor.

"And their wives are ladies-ain't they, Dick?"

Cavendish nodded.

"Anybody with half an eye would know you was a lady, ma'am," said Yancy.

"Kep here is an Honorable, same as a senator or a congressman,"
Cavendish went on.

"At his age, too!" commented Yancy.

"And my daughter's the Lady Constance," said Polly.

"Havin' such a mother she ain't no choice," observed Yancy, with an air
of gentle deference.

"Dick's got the family, Mr. Yancy. My folks, the Rhetts, was plain
people."

"Some of 'em ain't so noticeably plain, either," said Yancy.

"Sho', you've a heap of good sense, Mr. Yancy!" and Cavendish shook him
warmly by the hand. "The first time I ever seen her, I says, I'll marry
that lady if it takes an arm! Well, it did most of the time while I was
co'tin' her."

"La!" cried Polly, blushing furiously. "You shouldn't tell that, Dick.
Mr. Yancy ain't interested."

"Yes, sir, I'd been he