ble to catch!"

Then seeing unmistakable evidence of more questions in the nose, Nattie
threw the ink-soaked blotting-paper and her last remnant of patience
into the waste basket, and added,

"But you must excuse me, I am too busy to be annoy--interrupted longer,
and there are books that will give you all the information that you
require!"

So saying, Nattie turned her back, and the owner of the nose withdrew
it, its tip glistening with indignation as she walked away. As it
vanished, Nattie gave a sigh of relief, and sat down to mourn her ruined
dress. Whatever may have been her previous opinion, she was positive now
that this was the prettiest, the most becoming dress she had ever
possessed, or might ever possess! Only the old, old story! We prize most
what is gone forever!

"And all that dreadful man's--or woman's--fault at X n!" cried Nattie,
savagely. Unjustly too, for if any one was responsible for the accident,
it was the owner of the nose.

But not long did Nattie dare give way to her misery. That fatal message
was not yet received.

Glancing over the few words she had of it, she read; "Send the hearse,"
and then she began anxiously "calling" "X n."

"Hearse," looked too serious for trifling. But either "X n's"
attention was now occupied in some other direction, or else he--or
she--was too much out of humor to reply, for it was full twenty minutes
before came the answering,

"X n."

At which Nattie said as fiercely as fingers could, "I have been after
you nearly half an hour!"

"Have you?" came coolly back from "X n." "Well, you're not alone, many
are after me--my landlord among others--not to mention a washerwoman or
two!"

Then followed the figure "4," which means, "When shall I go ahead?"

"Waxing jocose, are you?" Nattie murmured to herself, as she replied:

"G. A.--hearse--"

"G. A.--_what?_"

"Hearse," repeated Nattie, in firm, clear characters.

To her surprise and displeasure "X n" laughed--the circumstance being
conveyed to her understanding in the usual way, by the two letters "H
a!"

"What are you laughing at?" she asked.

"At your grave mistake!" was "X n's" answer, accompanied by another "Ha!
To convert a _horse_ into a hearse is really an idea that merits a smile!"

As the consciousness of her blunder dawned upon her, Nattie would gladly
have sank into oblivion. But as that was impossible, she took a fresh
blank, and very meekly said,

"G. A.--horse--!"

With another la