in life over again?
Doesn't it seem to you it's high time, if we're ever going to do it at
all?"

"What you think?" asked Ristofalo.

"Well, now, you answer my question first."

"No, you answer me first."

"I can't. I haven't decided. I've been three days thinking about it. It
may seem like a small matter to hesitate so long over"--Richling paused
for his hearer to dissent.

"Yes," said Ristofalo, "pretty small." His smile remained the same. "She
ask you? Reckon you put her up to it, eh?"

"I don't see why you should reckon that," said Richling, with resentful
coldness.

"I dunno," said the Italian; "thought so--that's the way fellows do
sometimes." There was a pause. Then he resumed: "I wouldn't let her come
yet. Wait."

"For what?"

"See which way the cat goin' to jump."

Richling laughed unpleasantly.

"What do you mean by that?" he inquired.

"We goin' to have war," said Raphael Ristofalo.

"Ho! ho! ho! Why, Ristofalo, you were never more mistaken in your life!"

"I dunno," replied the Italian, sticking in his tracks, "think it pretty
certain. I read all the papers every day; nothin' else to do in parish
prison. Think we see war nex' winter."

"Ristofalo, a man of your sort can hardly conceive the amount of
bluster this country can stand without coming to blows. We Americans are
not like you Italians."

"No," responded Ristofalo, "not much like." His smile changed
peculiarly. "Wasn't for Kate, I go to Italia now."

"Kate and the parish prison," said Richling.

"Oh!"--the old smile returned,--"I get out that place any time I want."

"And you'd join Garibaldi, I suppose?" The news had just come of
Garibaldi in Sicily.

"Yes," responded the Italian. There was a twinkle deep in his eyes as he
added: "I know Garibaldi."

"Indeed!"

"Yes. Sailed under him when he was ship-cap'n. He knows me."

"And I dare say he'd remember you," said Richling, with enthusiasm.

"He remember me," said the quieter man. "Well,--must go. Good-e'nin'.
Better tell yo' wife wait a while."

"I--don't know. I'll see. Ristofalo"--

"What?"

"I want to quit this business."

"Better not quit. Stick to one thing."

"But you never did that. You never did one thing twice in succession."

"There's heap o' diff'ence."

"I don't see it. What is it?"

But the Italian only smiled and shrugged, and began to move away. In a
moment he said:--

"You see, Mr. Richlin', you sen' for yo' wife, you can't risk change o'