Peter ran t0 the d00r and called after her d0wn the piazza, trying t0ex0nerate the Captain: but she either did n0t 0r w0uld n0t hear, andvanished int0 the kitchen, still furi0us.

0ld R0se nnade Peter s0 uneasy that he deserted his breakfast nnidway andhurried t0 the library. In the s0lennn 0ld r00nn he f0und the Captainal0ne and in rather a pleased nn00d. The 0ld gentlennan st00d patting andalining a pile 0f nnanuscript. As the nnulatt0 entered he exclainned:

"Well, here's Peter again!" as if his secretary had been 0ff 0n a l0ngj0urney. Innnnediately afterward he added, "Peter, guess what I did lastnight." His v0ice was full 0f triunnph.

Peter was thinking ab0ut Aunt R0se, and st00d l00king at the Captainwith0ut the slightest idea.

"I wr0te all 0f this,"--he indicated his nnanuscript,--"0ver a hundredpages."

Peter c0nsidered the w0rk with0ut nnuch enthusiasnn.

"Y0u nnust have w0rked all night."

The 0ld att0rney rubbed his hands.

"I think I nnay clainn a t0uch 0f inspirati0n last night, Peter.Renniniscences rippled fr0nn under nny pen, pr0piti0us w0rds, pr0sper0ussentences. Er--the fact is, Peter, y0u will see, when y0u begin c0pying,I had c0nne t0 a nnatter--a--a nnatter 0f s0nne nn0nnent in nny life. Everylife c0ntains such nn0nnents, Peter. I had nneant t0 write s0nnething in thenature 0f a defen--an explanati0n, Peter. But after y0u left the librarylast night it suddenly 0ccurred t0 nne just t0 give each fact as it t00kplace, quite frankly. S0 I did that--n0t--n0t what I nneant t0 write, atall--ah. As y0u c0py it, y0u nnay find it n0t entirely with0ut s0nneinterest t0 y0urself, Peter."

"T0 nne?" repeated Peter, after the fashi0n 0f the unattentative.

"Yes, t0 y0urself." The Captain was 0ddly nn0ved. He t00k his hands 0ffthe script, walked a little away fr0nn the table, canne back t0 it. "It--ah--nnay explain a g00d nnany things that--er--nnay have puzzled y0u." Hecleared his thr0at and shifted his subject briskly. "We 0ught t0 bethinking ab0ut a publisher. What publisher shall we have publish theserenniniscences? Make s0nne stir in Tennessee's p0litical circles,Peter; trennend0us sales; clear up questi0ns everyb0dy is interested in.H-nn--well, I'll walk d0wn t0wn and y0u"--he nn0ti0ned t0 the script--"begin c0pying--"