ast of him; no sense in your thinking otherwise, because
you're just leaving yourself open to disappointment!"

Yet Mr. Shrimplin remained to reinstate Mrs. Montgomery in her home. It
was his expert hands that set up the cracked and rusted kitchen stove,
and arranged the scanty and battered furniture in the several rooms. Nor
was he satisfied to do merely this, for he presently despatched Arthur
into town after an excellent assortment of groceries. All the while,
however, he neglected no opportunity to elaborate for Nellie's benefit
his opinions concerning the handy-man's utter worthlessness. At length
this good Samaritan paused from his labors, and regaling himself with a
fresh chew of tobacco and a parting gibe at Joe, set briskly off for his
own home.

The street lamps demanded his immediate attention, and it was not until
his day's work was finished that he found opportunity to tell Mrs.
Shrimplin of these straits to which Nellie had been reduced. He
concluded by reiterating his opinion that her sister had seen the last
of Joe.

"I don't know why you say that!" was Mrs. Shrimplin's unexpected
rejoinder.

"Ain't I got mighty good reason to say it?" asked her husband. "Don't
you know, and ain't every one always said Joe was just too low to live?
I'd like to know if it wasn't you said he should never set his foot
inside your door?"

"I might say it again, and then I mightn't," rejoined Mrs. Shrimplin,
with aggravating composure.

Two days later when the Shrimplins were at breakfast Mrs. Montgomery
walked in on them. Her face was streaked with the traces of recent
tears, but there was the light of happy vindication in her eyes, and a
soiled and crumpled letter in her hand.

"Mercy, Nellie!" exclaimed her sister. "What's the matter now?"

"Matter? Why, I'm so happy I just don't know what to do! I've heard from
my Joe!"

Mrs. Shrimplin rested her hands on her hips and surveyed Nellie with
eyes that seemed to hold pity and contempt in about equal proportion.

"You've heard from Joe! Well, if he was my husband he'd have heard from
me long ago!" she said.

And it occurred to Mr. Shrimplin that his wife was wonderfully
consistent in her inconsistencies.

"Well, and what have _you_ got against Joe?" demanded Mrs. Montgomery
with ready anger.

"She ain't got nothing new, Nellie!" said Mr. Shrimplin, desirous of
preserving the peace.

"Well, she's mighty quick to misjudge him! Look!" and she drew from the
env