sh. Relics I have, if you desire dem--a
little finger-bone of Saint George, and a tooth of de dragon dat he
slew; a t'read of de veil of Saint Agat'a, and de paring of Saint
Matthew's nails. Here is brooches, crespines, charms, spectacles,
alners, balls, puppets, coffers, bells, baskets for de maids'
needlework, pins, needles, ear-rings, shoe-buckles, buttons--everyting!
And here--here is my beautifullest ting--my chiefest relic, in de leetle
silver box--see!"

"Nay, what is it, trow?" inquired Kate, who looked with deep interest
through the interstices of the filagree, and saw nothing but a few
inches of coarse linen thread.

"Oh, it is de blessed relic! Look you, our Lady made shirt for Saint
Joseph, and she cut off de t'read, and it fall on de floor, and dere it
lie till Saint Petronilla come by, and she pick it up and put it in her
bosom. It is all writ down inside. De holy Fader give it my moder's
grandmoder's aunt, when she go to Rome. It is wort' tousands of
pounds--de t'read dat our blessed Lady draw t'rough her fingers. You
should have no maladies never, if you wear dat."

"Ay, but such things as that be alonely for folk as can pay for 'em, I
reckon," said Kate, looking wistfully, first at the blue ear-rings, and
then at the blessed relic.

Ivo made a screen of his hand, and spoke into Kate's ear.

"See you, now! You buy dem, and I trow him you into de bargain! Said I
well, fair maid?"

"What, all for threepence?" gasped the bewitched Kate.

"All for t'ree-pence. De blessed relic and de beautiful ear-rings! It
is dirt sheap. I would not say it to nobody else, only my friends. See
you?"

Kate looked in his face to see if he meant it, and then slowly drew out
her purse. The warmth of Ivo's friendship, ten minutes old at the most,
rather staggered her. But the ear-rings had taken her fancy, and she
was also, though less, desirous to possess the holy relic. She poured
out into the palm of her hand various pence, halfpence, and farthings,
and began endeavouring to reckon up the threepence; a difficult task for
a girl utterly ignorant of figures.

"You leave me count it," suggested the little packman. "I will not
cheat you--no, no! How could I, wid de blessed relic in mine hand?
One, two, free. Dere! I put in de rings in your ears? ah, dey make you
look beautiful, beautiful! De widow lady, I see her not when I have my
pack in hall. She is well?"

"What widow lady, trow?" said Kate,