“So you gave Deal permission to send some bees to Miss Carryl and write her a letter?”
“Once. I had the letter brought to me and I sent her a copy. Here it is—the original.”
He produced Deal’s letter from the dispatch pouch, and the Messenger read:
Miss Evelyn Carryl,
Osage Court House.
Respected Miss:
I send you the bees. I seen Mr. Enderly at Sandy River he says he is very wishful for to swap bees to cross the breed I says it shorely can be done if you say so I got the pits and am studyin’ how to plant. The fruit is a rottin’ can’t the Yankees at Osage buy some truck nohow off’n me? So no more with respect from
John Deal,
Supt.
“That seems rather harmless, doesn’t it?” asked the Colonel wearily.
“I don’t—know. I think I’ll take a look at John Deal’s beehives.”
“His beehives!”