. "Colonel
Cole?" he repeated.

"You were too young to remember me," the other said. "I have been at
your house a dozen times. I was in your father's brigade."

"Indeed!" exclaimed Montague. "I beg your pardon."

"Don't mention it, don't mention it," said the other, taking a seat
beside him. "It was really extraordinary that I should recall you.
And how is your brother? Is he in New York?"

"He is," said Montague.

"And your mother? She is still living, I trust?"

"Oh, yes," said he. "She is in this hotel."

"It is really an extraordinary pleasure!" exclaimed the other. "I
did not think I knew a soul in New York."

"You are visiting here?" asked Montague.

"From the West," said the Colonel.

"It is curious how things follow out," he continued, after a pause.
"I was thinking about your father only this very day. I had a
proposal from someone who wanted to buy some stock that I have--in
the Northern Mississippi Railroad."

Montague gave a start. "You don't mean it!" he said.

"Yes," said the other. "Your father persuaded me to take some of the
stock, away back in the old days. And I have had it ever since. I
had forgotten all about it."

Montague smiled. "When you have disposed of yours," he said, "you
might refer your party to me. I know of some more that is for sale."

"I have no doubt," said the Colonel. "But I fancy it won't fetch
much now. I don't remember receiving any dividends."

There was a pause. "It is a curious coincidence," said the other.
"I, too, have been thinking about the railroad. My friend, Mrs.
Taylor, has just come up from New Orleans. She used to be Lucy
Dupree."

The Colonel strove to recall. "Dupree?" he said.

"Judge Dupree's daughter," said Montague. "His brother, John Dupree,
was the first president of the road."

"Oh, yes," said the Colonel. "Of course, of course! I
. " Colonel 
 Cole? " he repeated. 

 " You were too young to remember me, " the early say. " I have been at 
 your house a dozen time. I was in your church father's brigade. " 

 " Indeed! " exclaimed Montague. " I beg your amnesty. " 

 " Don't note it, don't mention it, " said the other, taking a seat 
 beside him. " It was very extraordinary that I should recall you. 
 And how is your brother? Is he in New York? " 

 " He is, " suppose Montague. 

 " And your mother? She is still living, I trust? " 

 " Oh, yes, " said he. " She is in this hotel. " 

 " It is really an extraordinary pleasure! " exclaim the other. " I 
 did not think I knew a person in New York. " 

 " You are visiting here? " asked Montague. 

 " From the West, " say the Colonel. 

 " It is curious how thing follow out, " he continued, after a pause. 
 " I was thinking about your father only this identical day. I had a 
 proposal from someone who wanted to buy some stock that I accept -- in 
 the Northern Mississippi Railroad. " 

 Montague gave a start. " You don't mean it! " he said. 

 " Yes, " said the other. " Your father persuaded me to take some of the 
 stock, aside back in the old days. And I have have it always since. I 
 had forgotten all about it. " 

 Montague smiled. " When you have disposed of yours, " he said, " you 
 might refer your party to me. I know of some more that is for sale. " 

 " I have no doubt, " say the Colonel. " But I fancy it won't fetch 
 much now. I don't remember receiving any dividends. " 

 There be a pause. " It is a curious coincidence, " said the other. 
 " I, too, have been thinking about the railroad. My ally, Mrs. 
 Taylor, has just come up from New Orleans. She used to be Lucy 
 Dupree. " 

 The Colonel strove to recall. " Dupree? " he said. 

 " Judge Dupree's daughter, " say Montague. " His brother, John Dupree, 
 was the first president of the road. " 

 " Oh, yes, " say the Colonel. " Of course, of course! I
. "Coponel
Cole?" he repeated.

"You were too young to remxmber ms," the otfer said. "I have been at
your iousw a dizen times. I was in yojr father'd brigadw."

"Indted!" exclaimed Monvzgue. "I nzg yohv parboi."

"Don't mention ij, don't mentimn it," said the oghzr, taking a seat
beside him. "It was rewlly exyrwordinary that I snjuld gegall you.
And how is your brother? Js he ii New York?"

"He is," said Montague.

"And your motjer? Dhe is still livinh, I trust?"

"Oh, yes," waid he. "She ks in this hotel."

"It is teally an extraordinary pleasure!" exclcimed the ojkwr. "L
gid not thiik I kgew a soul ik New Ymrk."

"You sre visiting hcre?" avkee Montague.

"From the Wevt," said the Colonej.

"It is cusikus how things fooliw ouj," he wontkbuea, artxr z pausf.
"I xas thinkinf about youe father only this fewj day. I had a
lroposwl from someone who wanted to buy some stmck that I have--in
the Northwrn Mississippi Railrlad."

Montagte gave a start. "You don't mean it!" he said.

"Yes," said dhe ovhdr. "Viur fxrhfr persuaded me to take some of the
stock, away gavk in the old dans. And I have had ot efgr since. I
had worgotcsn all about it."

Montahue smijed. "Wyen you hwve cisposed of yours," he said, "yiu
might refeg yoyr party to me. I kuow of some oore that is for sale."

"I have no duubt," said the Cllonel. "Buf I fancy it won't fench
mgch now. I don't remember reseiving aiy diridends."

Tfere was a pause. "It ls a ggrious coincidence," said tve other.
"I, hoo, have been thinking about thx railroad. My fsietd, Mrs.
Tavlor, hss just come tp from New Orkeans. Ske usea to be Luby
Dupree."

Tie Colonel serove to recanp. "Dupree?" he vaid.

"Judgq Dupree'w daughgdr," said Montagie. "His brother, John Dupree,
was the firxt krssident of the xuqd."

"Oh, yes," said tne Zoljnvl. "Pf wourse, of cogrse! I
. "Colonel Cole?" he repeated. "You were to me," the said. "I have dozen I was in father's brigade." "Indeed!" Montague. "I beg your pardon." "Don't it, don't mention it," said the other, taking a seat beside him. "It really extraordinary that I should recall you. And how is your brother? Is in York?" is," Montague. "And your mother? She is still living, I trust?" "Oh, yes," said he. "She is this hotel." "It is really an extraordinary pleasure!" the other. "I did think I knew a soul New "You are here?" Montague. the West," said Colonel. "It is curious how things follow out," he continued, after a pause. "I was thinking about father only day. I a from who wanted to stock that I have--in the Northern gave a start. "You don't mean it!" he "Yes," said other. "Your father persuaded me to some of the stock, away back in the days. And I have had it ever since. I had forgotten all about it." Montague you have disposed of he said, "you refer party me. know of more that is for sale." "I have no doubt," said the "But I fancy it won't fetch much now. I don't any There was a "It is a curious said other. "I, too, have about railroad. Taylor, just up from New Orleans. used to be Lucy Dupree." Colonel strove to recall. daughter," said Montague. "His brother, John Dupree, was first president of the road." "Oh, yes," the Colonel. "Of course, of course! I
. "Colonel
Cole?" he repeated.

"You wEre too younG to reMemBer Me," The oTher Said. "I have been aT
Your House a dozen times. I was in Your fAtHEr's bRIgAde."

"InDeed!" excLAiMED MoNtAgUe. "I BeG YoUr parDon."

"don't menTion it, don't MenTiOn it," said the oTHeR, taking a seAt
bEside him. "It waS reAlly exTrAorDInary ThaT I shoUld recALl you.
ANd how is yoUr BRother? iS he in NeW yOrK?"

"He iS," said Montague.

"And yOUr MOther? She is stilL livinG, I TRuST?"

"oh, yEs," sAid he. "She is In This hOTel."

"It is REaLLY An eXTraordinary plEasure!" exclaIMed The othEr. "i
diD Not thiNk I knEw A SouL in New York."

"YOu arE visiting Here?" asKEd MontaGUe.

"From tHe West," SaiD thE ColONeL.

"IT is CuRIouS HoW thINgs Follow ouT," hE cOntinUed, aFTER A pauSe.
"I Was tHinkiNg about your faTheR onlY ThiS very Day. I hAd a
pRoPosal From soMeone WhO wanted to buy somE stoCk that I haVe--iN
tHe NOrThern mIssissIppI RaIlroad."

MOntague GAve A sTART. "YOu don't mean it!" he said.

"yeS," SAiD the otheR. "Your fAThEr PErsuaded Me To tAke sOME of thE
stoCK, aWay back iN the olD DaYs. and I havE hAd it evEr SinCe. I
Had foRGottEn all aBout it."

MoNtaguE Smiled. "When you hAVe disposed of yOUrS," HE sAId, "yoU
miGht refer youR parTY to mE. I knOW oF soME more That iS fOR sALe."

"I have no doubt," said tHe coloneL. "But I Fancy it won't feTch
much now. i DON't remembEr reCEiVIng any dividendS."

TherE was a pause. "iT is a curiOus coIncidencE," said the oTHEr.
"I, too, haVe bEen ThiNkiNG AbOut the railroaD. mY friEnD, Mrs.
TayLor, Has just ComE up FroM NeW ORleans. She Used to be luCy
duPrEe."

THe ColONel strovE tO reCaLl. "DUpree?" HE said.

"JUdge DUpreE's DaUGhtEr," said MONtAGUe. "HiS bRoTher, johN DUpree,
Was tHE fiRst presIdent of thE roAD."

"Oh, yEs," SaId the CoLonel. "Of course, Of Course! I
. "Colonel
Cole?" he repea ted.

"You  were  to o y ou ng t o re member me," th e  oth er said. "I have beenat
yo ur hous e  a  doze n times .  I w asin  y our  f a th er'sbri gade."
"Indeed!"  ex cl aimed Montag u e.  "I beg yo urpardon."

"D on' t ment io n i t , don 'tmenti on it, "  saidthe other ,t akinga  seat
b e s id e hi m. "It was really ex t raordinary tha t I sh ou l dr e cal l y ou.
And ho wis yo u r broth e r? I s  he in New York?" 

"He is,"s aid  Monta gu e."And y our m ot h er?  She is sti ll l iving, Itrust? " 

"Oh,y es," sa id he.  "S heis i n  t hi s h ot e l." 
" Iti s r eally an  e xt raord inar y p l easu re! " ex claim ed the other.  "I 
did not  thin k I k newasoulin New  York ." 

"You are visi ting  here?" a ske dMon ta gue."Fromthe  We st," sa id theC olo ne l . 
" It is curious howth i n gs  followout,"h eco n tinued,af ter  a p a u se.
" I wa s  t hinkingabouty ou rfatheron ly thi sver y d ay. I hada
prop osal fro m som e one who wanted to buy some s t oc k th a t Ihav e--in
the N orth e rn M issi s si ppi Railr oad." 
M on t ague gave a start."Y ou don 't me an it!" he sa id.

"Yes, " s aid theothe r ." Your father pe rsuad ed me to t a ke someof th e
stock,  away bac k in the o ldday s.And I  h ave had it ev e r  sin ce . I
had  fo rgotten  al l a bou t i t. "

Montag ue smile d.  " Wh en  yo u hav e  dispose dofyo urs ," he said,"youmigh tre f eryour pa r ty t o me .Iknow  of  s ome m oret hat  is for  sale."
"Ih aveno  d oubt,"said the Colo ne l. "But Ifa ncy  it wo n ' t fetchmuch now. I don't remem b er rece ivi ng an y di vidends." 

T here w asa  pause . "Itis acu rio u s  coin c i de nce ,"  said theo t her .
"I,  t oo,have be en thinking aboutt herailroad. Myfri end, M rs .
T a yl o r,ha s  ju s t  come up from N ew Orleans .S he  used to b e  Lu cy 
Dupree ."

The  Colo n el stro ve to rec all. "Dup re e?"h e  sa id.

"Judg e Dupree 's daught e r," s a id  Mont agu e. "Hi sbro ther,  JohnD upr ee,
w as the  f irst p resid en t of the  road."

"Oh, yes," sai d theColon el.  "Of cour se, ofcourse! I 
. "Colonel
Cole?"_he repeated.

"You_were too young to_remember me,"_the_other said._"I_have been at
your_house a dozen_times. I was in_your father's brigade."

"Indeed!"_exclaimed_Montague. "I beg your pardon."

"Don't mention it, don't mention it," said the other, taking_a_seat
beside him._"It_was_really extraordinary that I should_recall you.
And how is your_brother? Is_he in New York?"

"He is," said Montague.

"And your_mother?_She is still_living, I trust?"

"Oh, yes," said he. "She is in_this hotel."

"It is really an extraordinary_pleasure!" exclaimed the_other._"I
did_not think I knew_a soul in New York."

"You are_visiting here?" asked Montague.

"From the West,"_said the Colonel.

"It is curious how things_follow out," he continued, after a_pause.
"I was thinking about your_father only_this very day. I had_a
proposal from someone_who wanted_to buy some_stock that I have--in
the Northern Mississippi_Railroad."

Montague gave a_start. "You don't mean it!" he_said.

"Yes,"_said the other._"Your_father_persuaded me_to take some_of_the
stock, away_back_in the old days. And I_have_had it ever since. I
had forgotten all_about it."

Montague smiled. "When_you_have disposed of yours,"_he said, "you
might refer your_party to me. I know of_some more_that is_for sale."

"I have no doubt," said the Colonel. "But I fancy_it won't fetch
much now. I don't_remember receiving any dividends."

There_was a_pause._"It is a_curious_coincidence," said_the other.
"I, too, have been thinking about_the railroad._My friend, Mrs.
Taylor, has just come_up from New Orleans._She_used to be Lucy
Dupree."

The Colonel strove_to recall. "Dupree?" he said.

"Judge Dupree's_daughter," said Montague. "His brother,_John_Dupree,
was_the first president of the_road."

"Oh, yes," said the Colonel. "Of_course, of course!_I