, 1881-08-07

and his wife was pouring his glass of two
thirds benedictine and rone-third curacoa.
which the Major contended was the only
civilized drink with which to prepare for the
aftcr-ttinner cigar.
Mis- Max passed the Major Ills cordial and
waited Il moment before replying: "Why,
no; it seems to me that If {; person travelling
east mailed Il letter each day by q Westward
bound train, Il letter would arrive here each
day.''
Mrs Max answered cautiously, for while
she knew tllat the Major pretended to de-
plorc the fact that she was Illogical, he really
derived much comfort from his superior
comprehension, and was somewhat addicted
to studying out intricate propositions with
which to puzzle the lady.
You think su,. do yon ?" quericd the
llcr, While in truti, lie only wanted lscr tc to
commit herself more decidedly, that his
victory would be tile more signal.
why, yes" Mrs. Max continued, some
Whit assured "if yon mailed Il letter on the
first uay out it would get here the next day ;
il you mailed one The day following. it would
arrive here day after the first, and tile let
tcrs, being mailed tweity-four hours apart,
would, Of course, continue to arrive here Il
'lay apart. They couldn't grow further
Mrs. Max wound up this sequence Of feIni-
nine logic with Il triumphant accent and felt
sure she llud posed the Major, for l!c did not
reply until after lghtin. aciSar. Then he
said; slowly: you post letter the first day
"Ycs."
"riat letter arrives here the day after you
Certainly. One day gone. One letter re-
"Exactly. Well. tic next day, little
curacoa. straight, please-the next day you
post another letter from the train. and -
"-An.l that arrives here the day after the
first, OF course, making two days ont unu two
letters received, and so on to New York. Eli,
Major:'
II Mrs. Max had not been examining new
pattern uf luce she had in her sleeves she
might lave l!oticcd the satisfied smile the
Major had ;ls l!c leaned back in his chair anti
said: "'Ihe second day out you would be ut
O%'isn?'''
..Its''
"Woultlnt it. take as long for letter to
return to San francisco us 1t lad taken YOU
50 ~ to Ogden ~
''Ihen the sccond letter would arrive hero
two daysaftcr YOU arrival at Og4ca a1ld four
DAYS after you left llcre::''
Mrs. Max loukeu up and said, llcs1tatingly:
"Wcll, l don't see how you make that
II !li.l mt make it out, Mrs. Max. l only
asked ii Was right"
"No, you are not: il you post Il letter OIL Il
returning train elcll day say that Il letter
must arrive here eacll day, and l don't
care"
Mrs Max, how long dues it take to go to
New York."
'Seyen llayS, 1 suppose"
'''I'Ilen IL letter Il day would he seven let
tcrs. You would post your sixth letter Of,
your sixth day out, and it would take it 81.
days more to return, being twelve days after
you left here. Now. It's you lai only mailed
live letters before the one which arrived on
this twelfth day, how could II letter a day
l,ayc arrived" :"'
Mrs Max thought Il moment, and then
asked with considerable warmth: 'Do you
nican to sly. Mai. Max, that il Il person going
II Mex York posts Il Letter Vii San Frai-
ciscu-'mnnsl train each day THAT ii takes twO
wct.ks Ior "IE those letters to arrive llcre:."
lit certainly would" replied the Major.
glowing comfortably M'hiln( his cigar, lie
knew Mrs. Max acknowledged her defeat by
the way she r:!n.: tor the tea, but she would
llut ask for further explanation.