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dragged the chair on which he was sitting beside the master。 But
with a quick flush of indignation Mr。 Ford rose and extended his
hand。
〃These are MY letters； Dabney；〃 he said sternly； 〃stolen from my
desk。 Who has dared to do this？〃
But Uncle Ben had； as if accidentally； interposed his elbow between
the master and Seth's spoils。
〃Then it's all right？〃 he returned deliberately。 〃I brought 'em
here because I thought they might give an idee where my wife was。
For them letters is in her own handwrite。 You remember ez I told
ez how she was a scollard。〃
The master sat back in his chair white and dumb。 Incredible；
extraordinary； and utterly unlooked for as was this revelation； he
felt instinctively that it was true。
〃I couldn't read it myselfez you know。 I didn't keer to ax any
one else to read it for meyou kin reckon why； too。 And that's
why I'm troublin' you to…night； Mr。 Fordez a friend。〃
The master with a desperate effort recovered his voice。 〃It is
impossible。 The lady who wrote those letters does not bear your
name。 More than that；〃 he added with hasty irrelevance； 〃she is so
free that she is about to be married； as you might have read。 You
have made a mistake； the handwriting may be like； but it cannot be
really your wife's。〃
Uncle Ben shook his head slowly。 〃It's her'nthere's no mistake。
When a man； Mr。 Ford； hez studied that handwritehavin'； so to
speak； knowed it on'y from the OUTSIDEfrom seein' it passin' like
between friendsthat man's chances o' bein' mistook ain't ez great
ez the man's who on'y takes in the sense of the words that might
b'long to everybody。 And her name not bein' the same ez mine；
don't foller。 Ef she got a divorce she'd take her old gal's name
the name of her fammerly。 And that would seem to allow she DID get
a divorce。 What mowt she hev called herself when she writ this？〃
The master saw his opportunity and rose to it with a chivalrous
indignation； that for the moment imposed even upon himself。 〃I
decline to answer that question；〃 he said angrily。 〃I refuse to
allow the name of any woman who honors me with her confidence to be
dragged into the infamous outrage that has been committed upon me
and common decency。 And I shall hold the thief and scoundrel
whoever he may beanswerable to myself in the absence of her
natural protector。〃
Uncle Ben surveyed the hero of these glittering generalities with
undisguised admiration。 He extended his hand to him gravely。
〃Shake！ Ef another proof was wantin'； Mr。 Ford； of that bein' my
wife's letter；〃 he said； 〃that high…toned style of yours would
settle it。 For； ef thar was one thing she DID like； it was that
sort of po'try。 And one reason why her and me didn't get on； and
why I skedaddled； was because it wasn't in my line。 Et's all in
trainin'！ On'y a man ez had the Fourth Reader at his fingers' ends
could talk like that。 Bein' brought up on Dobellez is nowhere
it sorter lets me outer you； ez it did outer HER。 But allowin' it
ain't the square thing for YOU to mention her name； that wouldn't
be nothin' agin' MY doin' it； and callin' her； wellLou Price in a
keerless sort o' way； eh？〃
〃I decline to answer further；〃 replied the master quickly； although
his color had changed at the name。 〃I decline to say another word
on the matter until this mystery is cleared upuntil I know who
dared to break into my desk and steal my property； and the purpose
of this unheard…of outrage。 And I demand possession of those
letters at once。〃
Uncle Ben without a word put them in the master's hand； to his
slight surprise； and it must be added to his faint discomfiture；
nor was it decreased when Uncle Ben added； with grave naivete and a
patronizing pressure of his hand on his shoulder；〃In course ez
you're taken' it on to yourself； and ez Lou Price ain't got no
further call on ME； they orter be yours。 Ez to who got 'em outer
the desk； I reckon you ain't got no suspicion of any one spyin'
round yehev ye？〃
In an instant the recollection of Seth Davis's face at the window
and the corroboration of Rupert's warning flashed across Ford's
mind。 The hypothesis that Seth had imagined that they were
Cressy's letters； and had thrown them down without reading them
when he had found out his mistake； seemed natural。 For if he had
read them he would undoubtedly have kept them to show to Cressy。
The complex emotions that had disturbed the master on the discovery
of Uncle Ben's relationship to the writer of the letters were
resolving themselves into a furious rage at Seth。 But before he
dared revenge himself he must be first assured that Seth was
ignorant of their contents。 He turned to Uncle Ben。
〃I have a suspicion； but to make it certain I must ask you for the
present to say nothing of this to any one。〃
Uncle Ben nodded。 〃And when you hev found out and you're settled
in your mind that you kin make my mind easy about this yer Lou
Price； ez we'll call her； bein' divorced squarely； and bein'； so to
speak； in the way o' gettin' married agin； ye might let me know ez
a friend。 I reckon I won't trouble you any more to…nightonless
you and me takes another sociable drink together in the bar。 No？
Well； then； good…night。〃 He moved slowly towards the door。 With
his hand on the lock he added： 〃Ef yer writin' to her agin； you
might say ez how you found ME lookin' well and comf'able； and
hopin' she's enjyin' the same blessin'。 'So long。〃
He disappeared； leaving the master in a hopeless collapse of
conflicting； and； it is to be feared； not very heroic emotions。
The situation； which had begun so dramatically； had become suddenly
unromantically ludicrous； without； however； losing any of its
embarrassing quality。 He was conscious that he occupied the
singular position of being more ridiculous than the husbandwhose
invincible and complacent simplicity stung him like the most
exquisite irony。 For an instant he was almost goaded into the fury
of declaring that he had broken off from the writer of the letters
forever； but its inconsistency with the chivalrous attitude he had
just taken occurred to him in time to prevent him from becoming
doubly absurd。 His rage with Seth Davis seemed to him the only
feeling left that was genuine and rational； and yet； now that Uncle
Ben had gone； even that had a spurious ring。 It was necessary for
him to lash himself into a fury over the hypothesis that the
letters MIGHT have been Cressy's； and desecrated by that scoundrel's
touch。 Perhaps he had read them and left them to be picked up by
others。 He looked over them carefully to see if their meaning
would； to the ordinary reader； appear obvious and compromising。
His eye fell on the first paragraph。
〃I should not be quite fair with you； Jack； if I affected to
disbelieve in your faith in your love for me and its endurance； but
I should be still more unfair if I didn't tell you what I honestly
believe； that a