"be careful.
Don't be silly. What is the use--"

"Hush! Hush and be still! Never mind what she did. All is, she showed
'em and she cured 'em and she saved 'em. But meanwhile her meddlesome
old father had got worried, not understandin' what was goin' on, and he
put his oar in. He wrote for the young chap she was engaged to to come
down and help cure HER. The father meant all right. He--"

Again the young lady interrupted.

"Mother," she said, "this is nonsense, the way father is telling it.
I meant to tell you, myself, by and by. I'm sure you have guessed it,
anyway, but--"

"There's one part she hasn't guessed," shouted Captain Dan; "or that you
haven't guessed either, Gertie, God bless you. _I_ guessed it myself,
this very day, and I guessed it because I had a letter from Labe Ginn
up at Scarford that put me on the right track. Gertie, that letter you
wrote to John WASN'T mailed; the postman DIDN'T get it; John himself
never got it."

"Daddy! Daddy, what--"

"Wait! wait! How do I know? you were goin' to say. I know because I
know who did get it. Cousin Percy Hungerford--confound his miserable,
worthless hulk! HE got it; he stole it from my table, where it laid
along with my other letters, when I was out of the room. And--wait! that
isn't all. John DID write you, Gertie. He wrote you two or three times
and he telegraphed you once. And you didn't get either letters or
telegram because that Hapgood butler--Oh, if I had only known this when
I chased him out of the back yard! He'd have gone over the fence instead
of through the gate--he was helpin' our dear cousin and gettin' paid for
it, and HE stole 'em. There! that's the truth and.... My soul! I believe
I've scared the girl to death."

He sprang forward. Serena, too, although she was almost as much
surprised and agitated as her daughter, hastened to the latter's side.

But Gertrude, although white and shaken, was far from being "scared to
death." She was very much alive.

"Are you sure, Daddy?" she cried. "Are you SURE? How do you know?"

"I know because Labe wrote that Hapgood told him. That's how I know
about the telegram. And I know that's what happened to your letter
because John didn't get it."

"How do you know he didn't get it? Please, Mother, don't worry about me.
I am all right. How do you know John didn't get my letter, Father?"

"I know because.... Is that a wagon stoppin' at our gate, Serena?"

"Never mind if it is. Answer Gertie's question.