It is no harm to admit (for the benefit of the Society for Psychical Research) that Stephen still dreamed of her.  He would go about his work absently all the morning with the dream still in his head, and the girl so vividly near him that he could not believe her to be travelling in England, as Miss Russell said.  Puss and Anne were careful to keep him informed as to her whereabouts.  Stephen set this down as a most natural supposition on their part that all young men must have an interest in Virginia Carvel.

How needless to add that Virginia in her correspondence never mentioned Stephen, although Puss in her letters took pains to record the fact every time that he addressed a Black Republican meeting:  Miss Carvel paid no attention to this part of the communications.  Her concern for Judge Whipple Virginia did not hide.  Anne wrote of him.  How he stood the rigors of that campaign were a mystery to friend and foe alike.

CHAPTER XI

HOW A PRINCE CAME

Who has not heard of the St. Louis Agricultural Fair.  And what memories of its October days the mere mention of at brings back to us who knew that hallowed place as children.  There was the vast wooden amphitheatre where mad trotting races were run; where stolid cattle walked past the Chinese pagoda in the middle circle, and shook the blue ribbons on their horns.  But it was underneath the tiers of seats (the whole way around the ring) that the chief attractions lay hid.  These were the church booths, where fried oysters and sandwiches and cake and whit candy and ice-cream were sold by your mothers and sister for charity.  These ladies wore white aprons as they waited on the burly farmers.  And toward the close of the day for which they had volunteered they became distracted.  Christ Church had a booth, and St. George’s; and Dr. Thayer’s, Unitarian, where Mrs. Brice might be found and Mr. Davitt’s, conducted by Mr. Eliphalet Hopper on strictly business principles, and the Roman Catholic Cathedral, where Miss Renault and other young ladies of French descent presided:  and Dr. Posthelwaite’s, Presbyterian, which we shall come to presently.  And others, the whole way around the ring.

There is one Fair which old St. Louisans still delight to recall,—­that of the autumn of 1860—­Think for a minute.  You will remember that Virginia Carvel came back from Europe; and made quite a stir in a town where all who were worth knowing were intimates.  Stephen caught a glimpse of her an the street, received a distant bow, and dreamed of her that night.  Mr. Eliphalet Hopper, in his Sunday suit, was at the ferry to pay his respects to the Colonel, to offer his services, and to tell him how the business fared.  His was the first St. Louis face that Virginia saw (Captain Lige being in New Orleans), and if she conversed with Eliphalet on the ferry with more warmth than ever before, there is nothing strange in that.  Mr. Hopper rode home with them in the carriage, and walked to Miss Crane’s with his heart thumping against his breast, and wild thoughts whirling in his head.