devotion and feels that he
has failed.

"You ain't eatin' a thing," said Lou, and this bold boy in the city, but
timid now, dropped a piece of bread, burnt himself with coffee and
spluttered that never in all his life had he eaten so much. A bird
lighted on the window sill, and whispering to Lou, he said that it had
come to hear her talk, and to carry her music to the other birds to make
them envious; and she spoke no word, but her cheeks replied to him. The
old man was musing and saw nothing, but Margaret heard the words and saw
the blush, and sitting back in her chair she compressed her lips and
fanned herself in satisfied determination. Jim had become calm, though
watchful and still on the dodge. Sometimes he started as if a bold
thought with a sudden knock upon the prison door demanded liberation,
but frightened at the sound of the struggling voice within he would
seem to clap his hand over the key-hole, that no accent might escape.
The old man was aware of these trials and they amused him and often he
would duck his head and laugh over his plate. Margaret would clear her
throat at him.

"Now, Jasper, what on top of yeth has tickled you so? A body to see you
would think that thar wan't nuthin' serious nowhar. Oh, I like to see a
man enjoy hisse'f, but--"

"But you don't," Jasper filled in, winking at Jim, who dodged as if an
acorn had been flipped at his eye. "Ma'm," he added, "blamed if I
believe a woman ever has a right good laugh after she's past thirty.
About that time nature turns down the lamp for her and she begins to see
shadows. If she does laugh much atter this it is at an enemy. She won't
laugh with you--she laughs at you. You've got to look funny to
her--you've got to have on suthin' that looks odd."

"Oh, I don't think so, Mr. Starbuck," Mrs. Mayfield replied. "It has
often been denied, but a woman has the true sense of humor, but--"

"Humor!" exclaimed the old fellow. "Why, she's got mo' than a day in
April."

"You misunderstand me. I mean that she has a true sense of fun. Being
more sensitive than man, some things that a man wouldn't notice, strike
her as ridiculous. To say that she has no fun would be to rob her of
sorrow, for the keenest sorrow comes after we have had our fun."

"Ma'm, you air settin' in a boat, paddlin' at ease and I am a rollin' up
my britches higher an' higher, a tryin' to wade atter you; but you air a
gittin' out whar it is too deep fur me to foller you."

"A complimen