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182 BLACK SHEEP."I'm gladIsee'd that 'ere letter," said JimSwain to himself, as, deeply preoccupied by thecircumstances of the preceding day, he faced towardsRouth's house, "because whenIput Mr.Dallas on this here lay,Ineedn't let out asIspied 'em home. Ican 'count for knowin' onthe place permiskus." Ancl then, from an intricaterecess of his dirty pocket, much complicatedwith crumbs and fragments of tobacco, Jim pulledout a crumpled scrap of paper. "Teddy wroteit doyvn quite right," he said, and he smoothedout the paper, and transferred it, for safer keeping,to his cap, in which he had deposited themissive with which he yvas charged.When Jim Swain arrived at his destination,and the door was opened to him, Harriet was inthe hall. She seemed surprised that he hadbrought her a written answer. She had expectedmerely a verbal reply, telling her hoyvsoon Routh would be home.Jim pulled his capoff hastily, taken by surprise at seeing her, andwhile he handed her the note,looked at her witha full renewal of all the compassion for her whichhacl formerly filled his untaught but not untender