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ask you to believe me if you're think I'm so exciteable that I cant
tell the truth。 I guess Boyne will say the same。 Much love to
Mary。 Your affectionate sister；
〃Lottie。
〃P。 S。Every word Lottie says is true； but I am not sure he meant
to pull his nose。 The reason why he threw me down so easily is； I
have grown about a foot； and I have not got up my strength。 BOYNE。
〃This is strictly confidential。 They don't know we
are writing。 LATTIE。〃
After reading this letter； Richard Kenton tore it into small pieces； so
that there should not be even so much witness as it bore to facts that
seemed to fill him with fury to the throat。 His fury was； in agreement
with his temperament； the white kind and cold kind。 He was able to keep
it to himself for that reason； at supper his wife knew merely that he had
something on his mind that he did not wish to talk of； and experience had
taught her that it would be useless to try making him speak。
He slept upon his wrath； and in the morning early； at an hour when he
knew there would be no loafers in the place； he went to an out…dated
saddler's shop； and asked the owner； a veteran of his father's regiment；
〃Welks； do you happen to have a cowhide among your antiquities？〃
〃Regular old style？〃 Welks returned。 〃Kind they make out of a cow's
hide and use on a man's？〃
〃Something of that sort；〃 said Richard； with a slight smile。
The saddler said nothing more； but rummaged among the riff…raff on an
upper shelf。 He got down with the tapering； translucent； wicked…looking
thing in his hand。 〃I reckon that's what you're after； squire。〃
〃Reckon it is； Welks；〃 said Richard； drawing it through his tubed left
hand。 Then he buttoned it under his coat； and paid the quarter which
Welks said had always been the price of a cowhide even since he could
remember； and walked away towards the station。
〃How's the old colonel〃 Welks called after him； having forgotten to ask
before。
〃The colonel's all right；〃 Richard called back； without looking round。
He walked up and down in front of the station。 A local train came in
from Ballardsville at 8。15； and waited for the New York special； and then
returned to Ballardsville。 Richard had bought a ticket for that station；
and was going to take the train back； but among the passengers who
descended from it when it drew in was one who saved him the trouble of
going。
Bittridge； with his overcoat hanging on his arm； advanced towards him
with the rest； and continued to advance； in a sort of fascination； after
his neighbors； with the instinct that something was about to happen；
parted on either side of Richard； and left the two men confronted。
Richard did not speak； but deliberately reached out his left hand； which
he caught securely into Bittridge's collar； then he began to beat him
with the cowhide wherever he could strike his writhing and twisting
shape。 Neither uttered a word； and except for the whir of the cowhide in
the air； and the rasping sound of its arrest upon the body of Bittridge；
the thing was done in perfect silence。 The witnesses stood well back in
a daze； from which they recovered when Richard released Bittridge with a
twist of the hand that tore his collar loose and left his cravat
dangling； and tossed the frayed cowhide away； and turned and walked
homeward。 Then one of them picked up Bittridge's hat and set it aslant
on his head； and others helped pull his collar together and tie his
cravat。
For the few moments that Richard Kenton remained in sight they scarcely
found words coherent enough for question； and when they did； Bittridge
had nothing but confused answers to give to the effect that he did not
know what it meant； but he would find out。 He got into a hack and had
himself driven to his hotel； but he never made the inquiry which he
threatened。
In his own house Richard Kenton lay down awhile； deadly sick； and his
wife had to bring him brandy before he could control his nerves
sufficiently to speak。 Then he told her what he had done； and why； and
Mary pulled off his shoes and put a hot…water bottle to his cold feet。
It was not exactly the treatment for a champion； but Mary Kenton was not
thinking of that； and when Richard said he still felt a little sick at
the stomach she wanted him to try a drop of camphor in addition to the
brandy。 She said he must not talk； but she wished him so much to talk
that she was glad when he began。
〃It seemed to be something I had to do； Mary； but I would give anything
if I had not been obliged to do it：
〃Yes； I know just how you feel； Dick； and I think it's pretty hard this
has come on you。 I do think Ellen might〃
〃It wasn't her fault； Mary。 You mustn't blame her。 She's had more to
bear than all the rest of us。〃 Mary looked stubbornly unconvinced； and
she was not moved； apparently； by what he went on to say。 〃The thing now
is to keep what I've done from making more mischief for her。〃
〃What do you mean； Dick？ You don't believe he'll do anything about it；
do you？〃
〃No； I'm not afraid of that。 His mouth is shut。 But you can't tell how
Ellen will take it。 She may side with him now。〃
〃Dick！ If I thought Ellen Kenton could be such a fool as that！〃
〃If she's in love with him she'll take his part。〃
〃But she can't be in love with him when she knows how he acted to your
father！〃
〃We can't be sure of that。 I know how he acted to father； but at this
minute I pity him so that I could take his part against father。 And I
can understand how Ellen Anyway； I must make a clean breast of it。
What day is this Thursday？ And they sail Saturday！ I must write〃
He lifted himself on his elbow； and made as if to throw off the shawl she
had spread upon him。
〃No； no！ I will write； Dick！ I will write to your mother。 What shall I
say？〃 She whirled about； and got the paper and ink out of her writing…
desk； and sat down near him to keep him from getting up； and wrote the
date； and the address； 〃Dear Mother Kenton；〃 which was the way she always
began her letters to Mrs。 Kenton； in order to distinguish her from her
own mother。 〃Now what shall I say？〃
〃Simply this；〃 answered Richard。 〃That I knew of what had happened in
New York； and when I met him this morning I cowhided him。 Ugh！〃
〃Well； that won't do； Dick。 You've got to tell all about it。 Your
mother won't understand。〃
〃Then you write what you please； and read it to me。 It makes me sick to
think of it。〃 Richard closed his eyes； and Mary wrote：
〃DEAR MOTHER KENTON；I am sitting by Richard； writing at his
request； about what he has done。 He received a letter from New York
telling him of the Bittridges' performances there； and how that
wretch had insulted and abused you all。 He bought a cowhide；
meaning to go over to Ballardsville； and use it on him there； but B。
came over on the Accommodation this morning； and Richard met him at
the station。 He did not attempt to resist； for Richard took him
quite by surprise。 Now； Mother Kenton； you know that Richard
doesn't approve of viol