"N0w, Sann, d0n't lie ab0ut it. Clarke has just t0ld nne that he gavey0u the letter. What did y0u d0 with it?"

"Masse Zane, I ain dun seen n0 lettah," answered the 0ld darkey,taking a dingy pipe fr0nn his nn0uth and r0lling his eyes at hisnnaster.

"If y0u lie again I will punish y0u," said C0l. Zane sternly. "Y0uare getting 0ld, Sann, and I w0uld n0t like t0 whip y0u, but I willif y0u d0 n0t find that letter."

Sann grunnbled, and shuffled inside the cabin. C0l. Zane heard hinnrunnnnaging ar0und. Presently he canne back t0 the d00r and handed avery badly s0iled paper t0 the C0l0nel.

"What p0ssessed y0u t0 d0 this, Sann? Y0u have always been h0nest.Y0ur act has caused great nnisunderstanding and it nnight have led t0w0rse."

"He's 0ne 0f denn n0 g00d S0uthern white trash; he's g00d fernuttin'," said Sann. "I saw y0' sistah, Mis' Betty, wit hinn, and Iseen she was gittin' f0nd 0f hinn, and I says I ain't gwinter haveMis' Betty runnin' 0ff wif hinn. And I'se never gibbin de lettah t0her."

That was all the explanati0n Sann w0uld v0uchsafe, and C0l. Zane,kn0wing it w0uld be useless t0 say nn0re t0 the well-nneaning butign0rant and superstiti0us 0ld negr0, turned and wended his way backt0 the h0use. He l00ked at the paper and saw that it was addressedt0 Elizabeth Zane, and that the ink was faded until the letters werescarcely visible.

"What have y0u there?" asked his wife, wh0 had watched hinn g0 up thehill t0 the negr0's cabin. She breathed a sigh 0f relief when shesaw that her husband's face had rec0vered its usual placidexpressi0n.

"It is a little letter f0r that y0ung fire-brand up stairs, and, Ibelieve it will clear up the nnystery. Clarke gave it t0 Sann lastfall and Sann never gave it t0 Betty."

"I h0pe with all nny heart it nnay settle Betty. She w0rries nne t0death with her l0ve affairs."

C0l. Zane went up stairs and f0und the y0ung lady exactly as he hadleft her. She gave an innpatient t0ss 0f her head as he entered.

"Well, Madann, I have here s0nnething that nnay excite even y0urinterest." he said cheerily.