would hardly be back in less than an hour.

"I'm so'y," said Narcisse, with a baffled frown, as he sat down and Mrs.
Riley took her seat opposite. "I came to 'epay 'em some moneys which he
made me the loan--juz in a fwenly way. And I came to 'epay 'im. The
sum-total, in fact--I suppose he nevva mentioned you about that, eh?"

"No, sir; but, still, if"--

"No, and so I can't pay it to you. I'm so'y. Because I know he woon like
it, I know, if he fine that you know he's been bawing money to me. Well,
Misses Wiley, in fact, thass a _ve'y_ fine gen'leman and lady--that
Mistoo and Misses Itchlin, in fact?"

"Well, now, Mr. Narcisse, ye'r about right? She's just too good to
live--and he's not much better--ha! ha!" She checked her jesting mood.
"Yes, sur, they're very peaceable, quiet people. They're just simply
ferst tlass."

"'Tis t'ue," rejoined the Creole, fanning himself with his straw hat and
looking at the Pope. "And they handsome and genial, as the lite'ati say
on the noozpapeh. Seem like they almoze wedded to each otheh."

"Well, now, sir, that's the trooth!" She threw her open hand down with
emphasis.

"And isn't that as man and wife should be?"

"Yo' mighty co'ect, Misses Wiley!" Narcisse gave his pretty head a
little shake from side to side as he spoke.

"Ah! Mr. Narcisse,"--she pointed at herself,--"haven't I been a wife?
The husband and wife--they'd aht to jist be each other's guairdjian
angels! Hairt to hairt sur; sperit to sperit. All the rist is nawthing,
Mister Narcisse." She waved her hands. "Min is different from women,
sur." She looked about on the ceiling. Her foot noiselessly patted the
floor.

"Yes," said Narcisse, "and thass the cause that they dwess them dif'ent.
To show the dif'ence, you know."

"Ah! no. It's not the mortial frame, sur; it's the sperit. The sperit of
man is not the sperit of woman. The sperit of woman is not the sperit of
man. Each one needs the other, sur. They needs each other, sur, to
purify and strinthen and enlairge each other's speritu'l life. Ah, sur!
Doo not I feel those things, sur?" She touched her heart with one
backward-pointed finger, "_I_ doo. It isn't good for min to be
alone--much liss for women. Do not misunderstand me, sur; I speak as a
widder, sur--and who always will be--ah! yes, I will--ha! ha! ha!" She
hushed her laugh as if this were going too far, tossed her head, and
continued smiling.

So they talked on. Narcisse did not stay an hour, but ther