understand. Everybody must
look out for himself; and I just thought I'd mention it. Whenever
there are any ink-spots Femke takes them out with oxalic acid; and
it never makes any holes--yes, it did happen once, and we had to pay
for a pair of cuffs. You can ask Femke."

The fact was, he wanted to ask Femke something else; and she knew
it. The story of Aztalpa had left its marks on her mind. But she
was hampered very much like Walter was at home. She couldn't say,
"Mother, speak a bit more Peruvian!" So she simply asked what the
roll was that he had in his hand.

Walter was confused, but he managed to stammer that it was a present
for her. Femke said she would always take good care of the picture.

"Yes," said the mother, "and you must iron out those creases. We iron,
too, little boy, and we deliver the clothes ready to put on. Nobody can
complain. You can tell your mother. And your collar--it isn't ironed
nicely--and such bluing! Ask Femke. Femke, isn't the blue in stripes?"

His collar not ironed nicely? and blued in stripes? And the infallible
Pietro had laundered it! Even here, were there differences in method
and conception? And in this respect, too, was the Pieterse tradition
not the only one that brought happiness?

Femke was on nettles. She studied Ophelia, wondering who she was,
and tried to turn the conversation. At last something occurred to
her. It was necessary for her to run some errand or other, and "the
young gentleman" could "accompany" her a part of the way.

"As far as I'm concerned," said the mother.

The young couple retired, taking one of those ways which in the
neighborhood of Amsterdam are simply called "the ways." That is all
they are. Whoever walks there for pleasure must take a good stock of
impressions with him, in order to escape tedium.

But Walter and Femke were not lacking in this respect. Walter had
so much to tell Femke that he could scarcely hope to get through;
and she, too, had thought of him more than she was willing to admit,
and more than he had any idea of. She began by saying that she hadn't
told her mother of her unfriendly reception by Walter's mother and
sisters, because she didn't want her mother----

"Oh, Femke--and you thought I would come?"

"Yes." said Femke, hesitating, but still with a readiness that
delighted Walter. "Yes, of course I expected to see you again. And
I had a mass said for your recovery."

"Really?" said Walter, who hardly knew what it meant