“Where is Uncle Comyn?” demanded Mr. Colfax, swinging his cane with impatience.

Virgina looked hard at Mr. Hopper.

“I don’t know,” she said.

“Ephum!” shouted Mr. Colfax.  “Ephum!  Easters where the deuce is that good-for-nothing husband of yours?”

“I dunno, Marse Clarence.  ’Spec he whah he oughtn’t ter be.”

Mr. Colfax spied the stooping figure of Eliphalet.

“Do you work here?” he demanded.

“I callate.”

“What?”

“I callate to,” responded Mr. Hopper again, without rising.

“Please find Mr. Hood,” directed Mr. Colfax, with a wave of his cane, “and say that Miss Carvel is here—­”

Whereupon Miss Carvel seated herself upon the edge of a bale and giggled, which did not have a soothing effect upon either of the young men.  How abominably you were wont to behave in those days, Virginia.

“Just say that Mr. Colfax sent you,” Clarence continued, with a note of irritation.  “There’s a good fellow.”

Virginia laughed outright.  Her cousin did not deign to look at her.  His temper was slipping its leash.

“I wonder whether you hear me,” he remarked.

No answer.

“Colonel Carvel hires you, doesn’t he?  He pays you wages, and the first time his daughter comes in here you refuse to do her a favor.  By thunder, I’ll see that you are dismissed.”

Still Eliphalet gave him no manner of attention, but began marking the tags at the bottom of the pile.

It was at this unpropitious moment that Colonel Carvel walked into the store, and his daughter flew into his arms.

“Well, well,” he said, kissing her, “thought you’d surprise me, eh, Jinny?”

“Oh, Pa,” she cried, looking reproachfully up at his Face.  “You knew —­how mean of you!”

“I’ve been down on the Louisiana, where some inconsiderate man told me, or I should not have seen you today.  I was off to Alton.  But what are these goings-on?” said the Colonel, staring at young Mr. Colfax, rigid as one of his own gamecocks.  He was standing defiantly over the stooping figure of the assistant manager.

“Oh,” said Virginia, indifferently, “it’s only Clarence.  He’s so tiresome.  He’s always wanting to fight with somebody.”

“What’s the matter, Clarence?” asked the Colonel, with the mild unconcern which deceived so many of the undiscerning.

“This person, sir, refused to do a favor for your daughter.  She told him, and I told him, to notify Mr. Hood that Miss Carvel was here, and he refused.”

Mr. Hopper continued his occupation, which was absorbing.  But he was listening.

Colonel Carvel pulled his goatee, and smiled.

“Clarence,” said he, “I reckon I can run this establishment without any help from you and Jinny.  I’ve been at it now for a good many years.”