ood-natured, gullible Captain
Dan. The more recent letters from the hat dealers had been sharper and
less kindly. They had ceased to request; they demanded. At last they had
threatened. And now the threat was to be fulfilled.

The captain laid the envelope down upon the open ledger, rose, and,
going to the front of the store, carefully closed the door. Then, going
to the door communicating with the other half of the store, he made sure
that no one was in the adjoining room. He had a vague feeling that all
the eyes in Trumet were regarding him with suspicion, and he wished to
shut out their accusing gaze. He wanted to be alone when he read that
letter. He had half a mind to take it to the cellar and open it there.

His fingers shook as he tore the end from the envelope. They shook still
more as he drew forth the enclosure, a typewritten sheet, and held it to
the light. He read it through to the end. Then, with a loud exclamation,
almost a shout, he rushed to the side door, flung it open and darted
across the yard, the letter fluttering from his fingers like a flag. The
store was left unguarded, but he forgot that.

He stumbled up the steps into the kitchen. Azuba, a saucer in one hand
and the dish towel in the other, was, to say the least, startled. As she
expressed it afterward, "the everlastin' soul was pretty nigh scart out
of her." The saucer flew through the air and lit upon the top of the
cookstove.

"What--what--what--" stammered Azuba. "Oh, my land! WHAT is it?"

"Where's Serena?" demanded Captain Daniel, paying no attention to the
saucer, except to tread upon the fragments.

"Hey? Oh, what IS it? Is the store afire?"

"No, no! Where's Serena?"

"She--she--what--"

"Where's SERENA, I ask you?"

"In her room, I cal'late. For mercy sakes, what--"

But the captain did not answer. Through dining-room, sitting-room, and
parlor he galloped, and up the front stairs to the bedroom occupied by
himself and wife. Mrs. Dott was standing before the mirror, red-faced
and panting, both arms behind her and her fingers busily engaged. Her
husband's breath was almost gone by the time he reached the foot of the
stairs; consequently his entrance was a trifle less noisy and startling
than his sky-rocket flight through the kitchen. It is doubtful if his
wife would have noticed even if it had been. She caught a glimpse of him
in the mirror, and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Oh, it's you, is it!" she panted. "My, I'm glad! Fo