on which the Golden House and
my other property are to pass to the
new Government; this I hope to compromise
by abating half my claim in
private, and giving it all up in public.
Also, I have had to bargain for the
recognition of Johnny Carr's rights to
the colonel's goods. When all this is
settled there will be nothing to keep
me, and I shall leave here without much
reluctance. The first man I shall come
and see is you, and we'll have some
frolics together, if my old carcass holds
out. But the truth is, my boy, I'm not
the man I was. I've put too much
steam on all my life, and I must pull
up now, or the boiler will burst.

"Christina sends her love. She is as
anxious to see you as I am. But you
must wait till I am dead to make love
to her. Ever your sincere friend,

"MARCUS W. WHITTINGHAM."

As I write, I hear that the arrangement is to be carried out. So ends
Aureataland's brief history as a nation; so ends the story of her
national debt, more happily than I ever thought it would. I confess to
a tender recollection of the sunny, cheerful, lazy, dishonest little
place, where I spent four such eventful years. Perhaps I love it
because my romance was played there, as I should love any place
where I had seen the signorina. For I am not cured. I don't go
about moaning--I enjoy life. But, in spite of my affection for the
President, hardly a day passes that I don't curse that accursed
tree-root.

And she? what does she feel?

I don't know. I don't think I ever did know. But I have had a note
from her, and this is what she says:

"Fancy seeing old Jack again--poor
forsaken Jack! Marcus is very kind
(but very ill, poor fellow); but I shall
like to see you, Jack. Do you remember
what I was like? I'm still rather
pretty. This is in confidence, Jack.
Marcus thinks you'll run away from us,
now we are coming to ---- town [that's
where I live]. But I don't think you
will.

"Please meet me at the depot, Jack,
12.15 train. Marcus is coming by a
later one, so I shall be desolate if you
don't come. And bring that white
rose with you. Unless you produce it,
I won't speak to you.

"CHRISTINA."

Well, with another man's wife, this is rather embarrassing. But a
business man can't leave the place where his business is because a
foolish girl insists on coming there.

And as I am here, I may as well be civil and go to meet her. And, oh,
well