for this day I could spend no more time upon visiting.



IV: THE GIRL BEHIND THE COUNTER--I

I fear--no; to say one "fears" that one has stepped aside from the narrow
path of duty, when one knows perfectly well that one has done so, is a
ridiculous half-dodging of the truth; let me dismiss from my service such
a cowardly circumlocution, and squarely say that I neglected the Cowpens
during certain days which now followed. Nay, more; I totally deserted
them. Although I feel quite sure that to discover one is a real king's
descendant must bring an exultation of no mean order to the heart,
there's no exultation whatever in failing to discover this, day after
day. Mine is a nature which demands results, or at any rate signs of
results coming sooner or later. Even the most abandoned fisherman
requires a bite now and then; but my fishing for Fannings had not yet
brought me one single nibble--and I gave up the sad sport for a while.
The beautiful weather took me out of doors over the land, and also over
the water, for I am a great lover of sailing; and I found a little
cat-boat and a little negro, both of which suited me very well. I spent
many delightful hours in their company among the deeps and shallows of
these fair Southern waters.

And indoors, also, I made most agreeable use of my time, in spite of one
disappointment when, on the day following my visit to the ladies, I
returned full of expectancy to lunch at the Woman's exchange, the girl
behind the counter was not there. I found in her stead, it is true, a
most polite lady, who provided me with chocolate and sandwiches that were
just as good as their predecessors; but she was of advanced years, and