of romance. If he instigated the
robbery of the south-bound mail wagon, of which the writer of this little
history has no shadow of doubt, he was so careful about it that no
evidence which would satisfy a jury has been discovered to this day.

On account of the continued illness of her mother Bim was unable to
resume her work in the academy. She took what sewing she could do at home
and earned enough to solve the problems of each day. But the payment
coming due on the house in December loomed ahead of them. It was natural,
in the circumstances, that Mrs. Kelso should like Mr. Davis and favor his
aims. Now and then he came and sat with her of an evening while Bim went
out to the shops--an act of accommodation which various neighbor women
were ever ready to perform.

Mrs. Kelso's health had improved slowly so that she was able then to
spend most of each day in her chair.

One evening when Davis sat alone with her, she told him the story of Bim
and Harry Needles--a bit of knowledge he was glad to have. Their talk was
interrupted by the return of Bim. She was in a cheerful mood. When Mr.
Davis had gone she said to her mother:

"I think our luck has turned. Here's a letter from John T. Stuart. The
divorce has been granted."

"Thank the Lord," Mrs. Kelso exclaimed. "Long ago I knew bad luck was
coming; since the day your father carried an axe through the house."

"Pshaw! I don't believe in that kind of nonsense."

"My father would sooner break his leg than carry an edged tool through
the house," Mrs. Kelso affirmed. "Three times I have known it to bring
sickness. I hope a change has come."

"No. Bad luck comes when you carry all your money through the house and
spend it for land. I am going to write to Harry and tell him to hurry
home and marry me if he wants to. Don't say a word about the divorce to
our friend Davis. I want to make him keep his distance. It is hard enough
now."

Before she went to bed that night she wrote a long letter to Harry and
one to Abe Lincoln thanking him for his part in the matter and telling
him of her father's death, of the payment coming due and of the hard
times they were suffering. Two weeks passed and brought no answer from
Mr. Lincoln.

The day before the payment came due in December, a historic letter from
Tampa, Fla., was published in _The Democrat_. It was signed "Robert
Deming, private, Tenth Cavalry." It gave many details of the campaign in
the Everglades in which the famous