reat good fortune which brought me to this house. So lonely one grows
at times--and then, I greatly desire some advice. If you would have
the leisure----"

"Certainly," and I waved toward a chair. "Sit down."

"In one moment," he said. "You will pardon me," and he disappeared
through the doorway.

He was back almost at once with a handful of cigarettes, which he
placed on the table. Then he drew up a chair. With a little
deprecatory gesture, he used one of my matches to light a cigarette.

"It was truly for the gas," he said, catching my smile; "and the gas
for the cigarette!"

There was something fascinating about the man; an air of good-humor,
of comradeship, of strength, of purpose. My eyes were caught by his
stodgy, nervous hands, as he held the match to his cigarette; then
they wandered to his face--to the black hair flecked here and there
with gray; to the bright, deep-set eyes, ambushed under heavy brows;
to the full lips, which the carefully arranged mustache did not at all
conceal; to the projecting chin, with its little plume of an imperial.
A strong face and a not unhandsome one, with a certain look of mastery
about it----

"It is true that I need advice," he was saying, as he slowly exhaled a
great puff of smoke which he had drawn deep into his lungs. "My name
is Martigny--Jasper Martigny"--I nodded by way of salutation--"and I
am from France, as you have doubtless long since suspected. It is my
desire to become a citizen of Amer-ric'."

"How long have you been living in America?" I asked.

"Since two months only. It is my intention to establish here a
business in wines."

"Well," I explained, "you can take no steps toward naturalization for
three years. Then you go before a court and make a declaration of your
intentions. Two years later, you will get your papers."

"You mean," he hesitated, "that it takes so many years----"

"Five years' actual residence--yes."

"But," and he hesitated again, "I had understood that--that----"

"That it was easier? There are illegal ways, of course; but you can
scarcely expect me to advise you concerning them, Mr. Martigny."

"No; of course, no!" he cried hastily, waving his hand in disclaimer.
"I did not know--it makes nothing to me--I will wait--I wish to obey
the laws."

He picked up a fresh cigarette, lit it from the other, and tossed away
the end.

"Will you not try one?" he asked, seeing that my pipe was finished,
and I presently found myself enjo