business had they to
make that contraption?

His answer was a shrug with his palms extended and a short, disclamatory
"Ah." He started to resume his walk, but turned to her again and said:

"Why did they make that law? Well, they made it to keep the two races
separate."

Madame Delphine startled the speaker with a loud, harsh, angry laugh.
Fire came from her eyes and her lip curled with scorn.

"Then they made a lie, Pere Jerome! Separate! No-o-o! They do not want
to keep us separated; no, no! But they _do_ want to keep us despised!"
She laid her hand on her heart, and frowned upward with physical
pain. "But, very well! from which race do they want to keep my
daughter separate? She is seven parts white! The law did not stop
her from being that; and now, when she wants to be a white man's
good and honest wife, shall that law stop her? Oh, no!" She rose
up. "No; I will tell you what that law is made for. It is made
to--punish--my--child--for--not--choosing--her--father! Pere Jerome--my
God, what a law!" She dropped back into her seat. The tears came in a
flood, which she made no attempt to restrain.

"No," she began again--and here she broke into English--"fo' me I don'
kyare; but, Pere Jerome,--'tis fo' dat I come to tell you,--dey _shall
not_ punizh my daughter!" She was on her feet again, smiting her heaving
bosom with the fan. "She shall marrie oo she want!"

Pere Jerome had heard her out, not interrupting by so much as a motion
of the hand. Now his decision was made, and he touched her softly with
the ends of his fingers.

"Madame Delphine, I want you to go at 'ome. Go at 'ome."

"Wad you goin' mague?" she asked.

"Nottin'. But go at 'ome. Kip quite; don' put you'se'f sig. I goin' see
Ursin. We trah to figs dat law fo' you."

"You kin figs dad!" she cried, with a gleam of joy.

"We goin' to try, Madame Delphine. Adieu!"

He offered his hand. She seized and kissed it thrice, covering it with
tears, at the same time lifting up her eyes to his and murmuring:

"De bez man God evva mague!"

At the door she turned to offer a more conventional good-bye; but he was
following her out, bareheaded. At the gate they paused an instant, and
then parted with a simple adieu, she going home and he returning for
his hat, and starting again upon his interrupted business.

* * * * *

Before he came back to his own house, he stopped at the lodgings of
Monsieur Vignevielle, but did not f