“Texas!” exclaimed he. “Why, I had no idea that you were interested in the liberation of that territory.”
Both Colonel Huntley and Barker laughed.
“I’m not,” said the colonel. “My mission is something else.” He looked at the other inquiringly. “You remember Tom Norton, who once ran a newspaper at Nashville?”
“Of course,” said the other. “Very well. And his wife and little daughter.”
“Tom went to Texas,” said Huntley.
“I understood he started another paper at Natchez,” said the man.
Huntley nodded.
“He did. But like the one at Nashville, it didn’t last long. He took his family to Texas, and settled at San Antonio. Both Tom and his wife are dead. The girl is grown up and is still at San Antonio.”
“I see,” said the other, and looked at Huntley with the expression of a man who knows that more is coming.
“Norton had some rich relations at Louisville; they’ve gone too, and have left a fortune to the girl, who knows nothing at all of it.”