This indeed savored of the blackest magic.
"What did she _do_ to you ?" "Just looked at me, that's all,--and took it for granted." "Heavens! You're shivering!" "You _wait_--wait till she talks to you! She's promised to give me a little book," he went on dejectedly, "'One Hundred Common Errors in Writing and Speaking,' and she says the split infinitive is a crime in this nineteenth century.

But, say, this paper would never get to press if I took time to unsplit all my infinitives." "Well, put Billy Durgin to work on her case right away," I said to cheer him.

"If the woman talks like that, I'll bet Billy can find some good reason why she ought to push on after the Colonel." Again his deeply thoughtful gaze bore upon me.
"I'm puzzled," he said,--"honestly puzzled.

I don't know whether she'll be good for this town or not.

She may in a way--and in a way she may not.