"Why, certainly, Miss Cordelia! What can I do for you?" he answered genially, leading the way to the tiny study off the sitting room.
"Well, I'm not sure you can do anything," replied Cordelia, with hesitating truthfulness. "But I wanted to ask: do you know anybody in Texas by the name of Mr. John Sanborn, or Mrs. Lizzie Higgins, or Mr. Lester Goodwin, or Mr. James Hunt?"
The minister looked a little surprised.
"N-no, I can't say that I do," he said, slowly.
Cordelia's countenance fell.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! You see I thought—being a minister out here, so,—you might know them."
"But—Texas is quite a large state," he reminded her, with a smile.
"I know," sighed the girl. "I've found that out."
"Are these people friends of yours?"
"Oh, no; they're just a son, and a brother, and a cousin, and a runaway daughter that I'm looking up for Sunbridge people."