d out everybody else
in the oil business in this part of the world."

"Mark my word, then, you've been cutting into the interest of the oil
trust, and it will come along presently and try to knock you out. When
it does, Ben, make it pay, make it pay."

"Oh, I'll make it pay," I answered. "The consolidated interests may
sweep out the independent companies, but they can't overturn the Great
South Midland and Atlantic Railroad."

"It's the road, of course, that has made such a success possible."

"Yes, it's the road--everything is the road, General."

"And to think that when I got control of it, it was bankrupt."

Rising from the table he took my arm, and limped painfully into his
study, where he lit a cigar and sank back in his easy chair.

"Look here, Ben," he began suddenly, with a change of tone, "what's this
trouble brewing between you and Miss Mitty Bland?"

"There's no trouble, sir, except that her niece has promised to marry
me."

"Promised to marry you, eh? Sally Mickleborough? Are you sure it's Sally
Mickleborough?"

"I'm hardly likely to be mistaken, General, about the identity of my
future wife."

"No, I suppose you ain't," he admitted, "but, good Lord, Ben, how did
you make her do it?"

"I didn't make her. She was good enough to do it of her own accord."

"So she did it of her own accord? Well, confound you, boy, how did it
ever occur to you to ask her?"

"That's what I can't answer, General, I don't believe it ever occurred
to me any more than it occurred to me to fall in love with her."

"You've fallen in love with Sally Mickleborough, Miss Matoaca's niece.
She refused George, you know?"

I replied that I didn't know it, but I never supposed that she would
engage herself to two men at the same time.

"And she's seriously engaged to you?" he demanded, still unconvinced.
"Are you precious sure she isn't flirting? Girls will flirt, and I don't
reckon you've had much experience of 'em. Why, even Miss Mitty was known
to flirt in a prim, stiff-necked fashion in her time, and as for Sarah
Bland, they say she promised to marry a whole regiment before the battle
of Seven Pines. A little warning beforehand ain't going to do any harm,
Ben."

"I'm much obliged to you, General, but I don't think in this case it's
needed. Sally is staunch and true."

"Sally? Do you call her 'Sally'? It used to be the custom to address the
lady you were engaged to as 'Miss Sally' up to the day of the marriage."

I