eery manner, and looking up, beheld a beautiful lady smiling at him.
It was plain that she belonged to the upper classes. A hat of very
large proportions, ornamented with a great ostrich plume, shaded a
head of lovely yellow hair. She was clothed all in rustling purple
silk and sparkled with jewelry. Her cheeks and lips glowed with a
carmine quite unknown among the fair but pale damosels of Bensonville,
which is situated in a low alluvial location, surrounded by flat
plains, the whole being somewhat damp and malarial. William had never
imagined eyes so wide open and glistening.

"My name is Willy, to be sure. But you have the advantage of me, for
ashamed as I am to say it, I cannot quite recall you. You are not the
lady who came to Bensonville and stayed at the Campbellite
minister's?"

"Oh, how are all the dear folks in Bensonville? But, say, Will, don't
you want to come along with me awhile and talk it all over?"

"I should be honored to do so, if you will lead the way. I confess I
am lonely to-night, and I always enjoy talking over old times."

At this juncture, a sudden look of alarm spread over the lady's
beauteous face and a lumbering minion of the law stepped before her.

"Up to your old tricks, eh?" he growled. "Didn't I tell you that the
next time I caught you tackling a man, I'd run you in? Run you in it
is. Come on, now."

"Oh, oh," panted the lady, and great tears welled into her adorable
eyes. At that moment, there was a crash in the street, as a poor
Italian exile had his push cart overturned by the sudden and
unexpected backing of a cab. The policeman turned to look and, like a
frightened gazelle, the lady bounded away, closely followed by young
William.

"Is there nothing I can do? Cannot I complain to the judge for you, or
address a communication to some paper describing and condemning this
conduct?"

"Is he coming? Is he coming?" asked the lady, piteously.

"No. But if he were, I would strike him, big as he is. Cannot a former
visitor in Bensonville greet one of its citizens without interference
from the police?"

Hereupon the lady, who seemed to be giving little heed to what William
was saying, beyond the information that the policeman was not in
pursuit, gave a gay little laugh of relief, which caused William's
eyes to light in pitying sympathy.

"Now that we are away from him, what do you say to a friendly game of
cards somewhere, to pass away the evening, which hangs heavy on my
hand