."

Amelius looked puzzled. "By reputation?" he said. "What does that mean?"

"It means, sir, that you occupy a prominent position in a recent number
of our popular journal, entitled _The Coolspring Democrat._ The late
romantic incident which caused the withdrawal of Miss Mellicent from
your Community has produced a species of social commotion at Coolspring.
Among our ladies, the tone of sentiment, Sir, is universally favourable
to you. When I left, I do assure you, you were a popular character among
us. The name of Claude A. Goldenheart was, so to speak, in everybody's
mouth."

Amelius listened to this, with the colour suddenly deepening on his
face, and with every appearance of heartfelt annoyance and regret.
"There is no such thing as keeping a secret in America," he said,
irritably. "Some spy must have got among us; none of _our_ people would
have exposed the poor lady to public comment. How would you like it, Mr.
Dingwell, if the newspaper published the private sorrows of your wife or
your daughter?"

Rufus Dingwell answered with the straightforward sincerity of feeling
which is one of the indisputable virtues of his nation. "I had not
thought of it in that light, sir," he said. "You have been good enough
to credit me with a wife or a daughter. I do not possess either of those
ladies; but your argument hits me, notwithstanding--hits me hard, I
tell you." He looked at Mr. Hethcote, who sat silently and stiffly
disapproving of all this familiarity, and applied himself in perfect
innocence and good faith to making things pleasant in that quarter. "You
are a stranger, Sir," said Rufus; "and you will doubtless wish to peruse
the article which is the subject of conversation?" He took a newspaper
slip from his pocket-book, and offered it to the astonished Englishman.
"I shall be glad to hear your sentiments, sir, on the view propounded by
our mutual friend, Claude A. Goldenheart."

Before Mr. Hethcote could reply, Amelius interposed in his own headlong
way. "Give it to me! I want to read it first!"

He snatched at the newspaper slip. Rufus checked him with grave
composure. "I am of a cool temperament myself, sir; but that don't
prevent me from admiring heat in others. Short of boiling point--mind
that!" With this hint, the wise New Englander permitted Amelius to take
possession of the printed slip.

Mr. Hethcote, finding an opportunity of saying a word at last, asserted
himself a little haughtily. "I beg you will