The woman had evidently noticed his hesitation, but mistook its cause.  “It ain’t me—­but my darter.”

The Colonel recovered his politeness.  “Ah!  I am relieved, my dear madam!  I could hardly conceive a man ignorant enough to—­er—­er—­throw away such evident good fortune—­or base enough to deceive the trustfulness of womanhood—­matured and experienced only in the chivalry of our sex, ha!”

The woman smiled grimly.  “Yes!—­it’s my darter, Zaidee Hooker—­so ye might spare some of them pretty speeches for her—­before the jury.”

The Colonel winced slightly before this doubtful prospect, but smiled.  “Ha!  Yes!—­certainly—­the jury.  But—­er—­my dear lady, need we go as far as that?  Cannot this affair be settled—­er—­out of court?  Could not this—­er—­individual—­be admonished—­told that he must give satisfaction—­personal satisfaction—­for his dastardly conduct—­to —­er—­near relative—­or even valued personal friend?  The—­er—­arrangements necessary for that purpose I myself would undertake.”

He was quite sincere; indeed, his small black eyes shone with that fire which a pretty woman or an “affair of honor” could alone kindle.  The visitor stared vacantly at him, and said, slowly: 

“And what good is that goin’ to do us?”

“Compel him to—­er—­perform his promise,” said the Colonel, leaning back in his chair.

“Ketch him doin’ it!” said the woman, scornfully.  “No—­that ain’t wot we’re after.  We must make him pay!  Damages—­and nothin’ short o’ that.”

The Colonel bit his lip.  “I suppose,” he said, gloomily, “you have documentary evidence—­written promises and protestations—­er—­er—­ love-letters, in fact?”

“No—­nary a letter!  Ye see, that’s jest it—­and that’s where you come in.  You’ve got to convince that jury yourself.  You’ve got to show what it is—­tell the whole story your own way.  Lord! to a man like you that’s nothin’.”

Startling as this admission might have been to any other lawyer, Starbottle was absolutely relieved by it.  The absence of any mirth-provoking correspondence, and the appeal solely to his own powers of persuasion, actually struck his fancy.  He lightly put aside the compliment with a wave of his white hand.

“Of course,” said the Colonel, confidently, “there is strongly presumptive and corroborative evidence?  Perhaps you can give me—­er—­a brief outline of the affair?”

“Zaidee kin do that straight enough, I reckon,” said the woman; “what I want to know first is, kin you take the case?”

The Colonel did not hesitate; his curiosity was piqued.  “I certainly can.  I have no doubt your daughter will put me in possession of sufficient facts and details—­to constitute what we call—­er—­a brief.”

“She kin be brief enough—­or long enough—­for the matter of that,” said the woman, rising.  The Colonel accepted this implied witticism with a smile.