face. I've thought of it
thousands of times, and been sorry."

"And Carrie Wade found out about it?" Henley was leading her along
gently and sympathetically.

"Why, he told her himself--told her to her face in a crowd of young
folks at Sunday-school the next day, and the worst part of it was
somebody in the bunch that didn't like Carrie joked her about it. The
whole thing has gone out o' folks' minds by this time, I reckon; but
Carrie never laid it aside. It rankled and still rankles. She gloats
over my hardships and makes a point of flaunting her good luck in my
face, and is eternally telling me of her chances to get married. She's
half crazy on the subject, and thinks every one else is like her. I know
one thing, Alfred Henley, when I do slip off the coil of single
blessedness she'll be madder than a wet hen without shelter on a cold
December day. And she won't have long to wait neither--there! I've gone
and let the cat out of the bag, but I don't care. I'd trust a friend
like you with my life. You talk pretty free to me, and I can to you."

"You don't--you can't mean to--to say that you have got some 'n of the
sort in view, Dixie?"

"Well, you just lie low and watch," she laughed, significantly. "I let
one chance pass me, and I don't intend to be such a fool again. I can
use a stout, willing, and able-bodied man in my line of business. I've
got two old women to support and a big debt to pay, and I'm about to the
limit of my endurance. I might have put it off, but I'm itching to see
my prime enemy's face when I march him out to meeting. It's all on the
quiet, and is going to be a big surprise. I never let my folks on to it
till just the other day. That reminds me. I want one of your blank
envelopes. I've written to him, and I'm clean out of envelopes and want
to mail the letter before I go home."

She flushed slightly, and her long lashes rested on her pink cheeks as
she drew a folded paper from her pocket and held it in her lap with the
money he had given her.

"You don't mean it!" Henley cried in astonishment. "Why, you take my
breath away; but, of course, I'm glad. I certainly can congratulate the
lucky fellow."

"Ask 'im whether it would be in order before you do." She reached for
his pen and dipped it, and began to address the envelope as it lay on
her knee.

"And that letter is to him, you say?" Henley said, wonderingly.

"Well, it ain't to no _girl_," Dixie smiled, with an arch, upward
glance. "Stam